Benjamin Banneker - Early Life

Early Life

Benjamin Banneker was born November 9, 1731, in Baltimore County, Maryland to his mother Mary, a free black, and his father George, a fugitive slave. There are two conflicting accounts of Banneker's family history. Banneker described himself as having only African ancestry. None of Banneker's surviving papers describe a white ancestor or identify the name of his grandmother. However, some biographers contend that Banneker's mother was the child of Molly Welsh, a white indentured servant, and an African slave named Banneka. The first published description of Molly Welsh was based on interviews with her descendents that took place after 1836, long after the deaths of both Molly and Benjamin.

Molly may have purchased Banneka to help establish a farm located near what eventually became Ellicott's Mills, Maryland, west of Baltimore. One biographer has suggested that Banneka may have been a member of the Dogon tribe that were reported to have knowledge of astronomy. Molly supposedly freed and married Banneka, who may have shared his knowledge of astronomy with her. Although born after Banneka's death, Benjamin may have acquired some knowledge of astronomy from Molly.

As a young teenager, Banneker met and befriended Peter Heinrichs, a Quaker who established a school near the Banneker family farm. Quakers were leaders in the anti-slavery movement and advocates of racial equality. Heinrichs shared his personal library and provided Banneker with his only classroom instruction. Once he was old enough to help on his parents' farm, Benjamin's formal education ended. Banneker spent most of the rest of his life at the 100 acres (0.40 km2) farm and was named on the deed in 1737.