Benjamin Banneker was born on this day in Ellicott Mills, Maryland, to a free African American woman and a formerly enslaved father. Despite having little formal education, Banneker became a self-taught mathematician, astronomer, inventor, and author. He is renowned for building one of the first clocks in America, accurately predicting solar and lunar eclipses, and compiling widely respected almanacs that included weather forecasts, astronomical data, and anti-slavery essays.
Banneker also played a role in surveying the land for the future District of Columbia in 1791. His brilliance and accomplishments challenged prevailing beliefs about race and intellect in early America.
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