Author: Alexandre Makhanko

Banneker’s most famous act of protest was his letter to Thomas Jefferson on August 19, 1791. Jefferson had written the Declaration of Independence, but he also enslaved over 100 people and had recently published Notes on the State of Virginia, where he speculated that Black people were inherently inferior to white people in both body and mind. Knowing this, Banneker crafted a letter that was polite but razor-sharp. He didn’t just ask for freedom; he strategically dismantled Jefferson’s logic:

Benjamin Banneker is famous for his remarkable achievements as a self-taught African American intellectual during the late 18th century. Living as a free Black man in Maryland during a time of widespread slavery, his success across multiple scientific and political arenas made him a historic figure. His legacy rests on four main achievements: 1. Publishing Highly Accurate Almanacs From 1792 to 1797, Banneker calculated and published a series of annual regional almanacs. Teaching himself advanced mathematics and astronomy, he precisely calculated the ephemerides—the predicted daily positions of the sun, moon, and planets. His books included tide tables, weather forecasts, and…