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Innovators
Benjamin Banneker
1731–1806
Self-taught astronomer and surveyor who helped plan Washington, D.C.
📖Biography
Benjamin Banneker was a free African American almanac author, surveyor, naturalist, and farmer. He is known for his almanacs and for his role in surveying the original borders of Washington, D.C.
Key Achievements
1
Helped survey and plan Washington, D.C.
2
Published almanacs from 1792 to 1797
3
Built a wooden clock that kept time for over 50 years
4
Corresponded with Thomas Jefferson on racial equality
Legacy & Impact
Banneker demonstrated the intellectual capabilities of Black Americans at a time when many questioned them, and his work helped build the nation's capital.