{"data":{"description":"Archiving Early America - The  Man  You  Won't  Find  In  Your  Early  American  History  Books","title":"The  Man  You  Won't  Find  In  Your  Early  American  History  Books","post_type":"post","content":"\u003cstrong\u003eBy Don Vitale\u003c/strong\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nHere's someone I came across the other day...a fellow who made what I would call singular contributions in the infant days of the Republic.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nYet I dare you to find him in any of your American history books.\r\n\r\nNot in our history books?\r\n\r\nSingular contributions?\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nFor starters, how about a fellow who racked up more achievements than any 5 persons associated with America's coming of age.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nEver hear of Benjamin Banneker?\r\n\r\nI doubt it. Few Americans have.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nFirst off, let's be clear on this. Banneker was an African American. In those days referred to as a member of the Negro Race.\r\nNot likely you'd find him having a pint in a pub rubbing elbows with the local gentry.\r\n\r\nYet he did some amazing things during the salad years of The Republic. Things most people would only dream about.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nSo the question is: what did this man actually do to warrant my bringing him to your attention and, may I add, for your greater education.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nBecause Banneker was known for his prowess in siting buildings and large landscapes, he was asked to survey the new federal district. What federal district? Oh, you mean the one where the seat\r\nof government resides. The Congress and Supreme Court and a white house for the president to live in.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nTHAT federal district?\r\n\r\nYes, that's the one....... eventually  known as D.C., The District of Columbia. Banneker played a key role in creating the bounds of that historic area.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nHis job? Nothing less than identifying the starting point of the survey. Face it, you have to start someplace on a project like this, right? Banneker was the one who said \"this is where we start.\" And the team went from there, following him with their tripods, tapes and levels.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nDid Banneker have other talents that would aid and abet an infant nation? Well, let's see....how about publishing an Almanac. Would that qualify him for the history books? Especially an almanac that was commercially successful, printed and sold in six cities in four states.\r\n\r\nIn those days people in the colonies relied on almanacs...Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's comes to mind, also The Astronomical Diary and Almanac published in Boston by Nathanael Ames.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nTo an extent most folks were farmers. Banneker's Almanac gave them weather predictions, solar activity and important astronomy cycles to help grow their crops.\r\n\r\nCould the history books then say, hey, this guy was okay...how come I never heard of him.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nAnd let's not overlook that our friend was a scientist. That's right, folks, our man made astronomical calculations predicting solar and lunar eclipses for inclusion in his ephemeris in the almanacs he published.\r\n\r\nI could see this coming-- what's an ephemeris? Sounds familiar....like a...maybe it's a...look, if you haven't a clue, you gotta head straight to.....where else? Wikipedia, of course.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nQuote: \"In astronomy and celestial navigation, an ephemeris (plural: ephemerides; from Latin ephemeris (\"diary\"), from the\r\nGreek \"diary, calendar\"))[1][2][3] gives the positions of naturally occurring astronomical objects as well as artificial satellites\r\nin the sky at a given time or times.\"\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nGot that? Good. Now that you've had your course in astro navigation, you may begin to appreciate our friend's\r\nmany and versatile talents.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nLest I forget: at the ripe old age of 22 Banneker built a wooden clock. A clock that struck on the hour, every hour.\r\nIt is said he created his pocket watch by carving each piece to scale. The clock kept time for 52 years until his death in 1806.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nIf you feel inclined to dismiss watchmaking....a little clock history is in order. We're talking the years in and around 1800. When clocks then were very rare. Especially those that worked.\r\nIn lieu of a timepiece most folks only guessed at the time. Even today...ever try living without a clock or a watch for 24 hours?\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nSpeaking of clocks, I see our time's up and class is over.\r\n\r\nNext time: more on Banneker.\r\nHis correspondence with Thomas Jefferson on slavery and racial equality.\r\nHis proposal to establish a Secretary of Peace.\r\n\r\nYou won't want to miss it.\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\nJust remember.....you'll find him here, not in your American History Books.-dv","menu":[{"path":"lives-early-america","title":"Famous Lives","submenu":[{"path":"lives-early-america/autobiography-benjamin-franklin","title":"Autobiography of Ben Franklin"},{"path":"lives-early-america/ramsays-life-washington","title":"Ramsay's The Life of Washington"},{"path":"lives-early-america/adventures-col-daniel-boone","title":"The Adventures of Col. 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