Benjamin Banneker: Surveyor, Astronomer, and Trailblazer for Equality

American scientist, surveyor, almanac author and farmer.

Banneker’s major reputation stems from his service as a surveyor on the six-man team which helped design the blueprints for Washington, DC. President Washington had appointed Banneker, making him the first Black presidential appointee in the United States.

In 1752, Banneker garnered public acclaim by building a clock entirely out of wood. The clock, believed to be the first built in America, kept precise time for decades. In 1789, Banneker began making astronomical calculations that enabled him to successfully forecast a solar eclipse.

What an ingenious man Benjamin was, to have created a clock out of wood and that it lasted decades is a tremendous achievement. The fact that he was also the first black presidential appointee, so many years ago, was indeed a major recognition of his accomplishments.

It is a pity that we are still so much in denial of giving recognition to anyone deserving of it regardless of their ethnicity or race.

Source: Wikipedia