Have you ever looked at a fifteen cent, 1980 US Postage Stamp? Well if you have not, you should probably consider it because a very intelligent, self-taught man is featured on it. The man's name is Benjamin Banneker. Benjamin Banneker did many jobs and invented many different things. He was a free black man that was born to parents that were freed slaves. (Benjamin Banneker) Benjamin Banneker was a well-liked and respected man by many peers in his field, this was very meaning because he was a black man born in the 16th century.
Firstly, Benjamin Banneker was born in 1731 in Baltimore, Maryland. His grandmother married on of her slaves, as did his mother, which made him a free black man because the law at the time was based …show more content…
He briefly attended a one room Quaker school house. With the help of his mentor, Andrew Ellicott he became an expert in astronomy, engineering, and urban planting. He even created a Farmer's Almanac that was very popular in his time. He also built the very first clock in the United States entirely out of …show more content…
Many people tried to discredit Benjiman because of his race. He did not allow his color nor age to take away from the many achievements that he received throughout his life. One of his greatest achievements in life was being asked by Thomas Jefferson to design and layout the nation's capital. He was the mathematical genius behind the national capitol's design. Another large achievement was writing the Farmer's Almanac and having it sent by Thomas Jefferson to the French Academy of Science. () Rancho Cordova From the years 1792 to 1797 Benjiman published five annual Farmer's Almanac's six times each year, this was his income in the later years of his life.
Benjamin's had achieved many honors and much respect by the time he died at the age of seventy-five. His family was devastated when he died and on top of everything during his funeral services they noticed that his cabin had burned to the ground, along with all his belongings and works. None of his things were able to be saved, not even his clock. Benjamin Banneker was a great 16th century mathematician but there is a good change you have never heard of him. This is most likely because he was never able to excel in his field because of his race. Benjamin