In celebrating Black History Month, ABNA would like to honor the first African American STEM pioneer, Benjamin Banneker, an 18th Century surveyor, almanac author, mathematician, landowner, and farmer who not shaped the City of Washington, DC, and whose accomplishments are too many to list.

With his life’s work, Benjamin not only paved the way for other African Americans in the field of STEM, but he continuously disproved the misguided thoughts of the time regarding a person of color’s capabilities. Among his many accomplishments, including being a successful clockmaker and astronomer, was that he surveyed the land boundaries which would become the District of Columbia.

Today we at ABNA honor and celebrate Mr. Banneker as he paved the way for other African Americans to follow in his steps.

To learn more about Benjamin Banneker, visit his page at https://www.whitehousehistory.org/benjamin-banneker