Benjamin Banneker
Pictures Courtesy of: Tina Allen & Connye Moore-Richardson, Wanda Watson
BENJAMIN BANNEKER GATHERING - BALTIMORE, MD NOVEMBER 1, 2014
Benjamin Banneker Foundation: http://www.bannekerfoundation.com/
Tina Allen was commissioned to sculpt Benjamin Banneker
One of her other pieces - Frederick Douglass
Benjamin Banneker was African American mathematician and amateur astronomer, calculated ephemeredes for almanacs for the years 1792 through 1797 that were widely distributed.
The Lett family is descended from the marriage of Samuel Delaney-Lett, who married Jemima Banneker. Jemima was born free in the 1730’s. Her grandmother was the Englishwoman Molly Walsh who had come to America as an indentured servant. Upon working off her indebtedness, she bought a farm and slaves. She freed one of the slaves “Banna Ka” of Senegal and married him. Their daughter Mary married a freed slave Robert who took the Bannaker surname (taken from the name Baana Ka) rather than to use the surname of his former master. Robert and Mary were the parents of Jemima and Benjamin Banneker.
Peggy Seats, Founder/CEO
Washington Interdependence Council
Administrators of the Banneker Memorial
A Non-profit Organization #788994