Benjamin Banneker

Benjamin Banneker (November 9, 1731 – October 9, 1806) was a free African American almanac author, inventor, scientist, surveyor, naturalist and farmer.^[2]

Benjamin Banneker
Library of Congress Banneker depicted on a 1943 mural by Maxine Merlino in the Recorder of Deeds Building in Washington, D.C. (2010)[1]
Born	November 9, 1731 Baltimore County, Province of Maryland, British America
Died	October 19, 1806(1806-10-19) (aged 74) Oella, Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S.
Nationality	American
Other names	Benjamin Bannaker
Occupation(s)	almanac author, surveyor, farmer
Parents	Robert (father) Mary Banneky (mother)

Early life

Benjamin Banneker was born on November 9, 1731 in Baltimore County, Maryland. His parents are Mary Banneky, a free black, and Robert, a freed slave from Guinea.^[3][4][5]

In 1788, a man named George Ellicott loaned Banneker books and equipment to study astronomy more formally.^[6][7][8] Banneker sent George Washington his work calculating a solar eclipse the following year.^[6][9]