Post by National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

In honor of Black History Month, NGA recognizes some of the heroes in our field. A self-taught son of a freed slave, Benjamin Banneker rose to prominence as a scientist, mathematician, astronomer and almanac author before his death in 1806. Banneker’s knowledge of astronomy was the basis for his work in helping famed U.S. surveyor Andrew Ellicott with the initial survey of the boundaries of the original District of Columbia. Later in his life, Banneker published a series of almanacs and traded letters with Thomas Jefferson on the issue of slavery.