Famous Mathematicians

Benjamin Banneker (1731 - 1806)

Benjamin Banneker was able to go to school only because his parents had bought their way out of slavery.

Banneker was very good at Maths and used it in very practical ways. For example, in 1793 he wrote the first science book by a Black American - "Banneker's Almananac". It gave details of sunrise and sunset, the movement of the moon, planets and stars, and other scientific facts.

Earlier, in 1789, he had predicted the eclipse of the sun. He also made the first clock to be made in America. The clock, made from wood kept perfect time for twenty years.

Banneker also saved farmers millions of dollars. Their crops were often destroyed by locusts. But Banneker worked out that locusts came every seventeen years. So, thanks to him, farmers knew when the locusts would come and could plan for it.

Banneker is best known for his part in planning the layout of Washington, D.C., the capital of America.