Ban·ne·ker  (bān'ĭ-kər)  American mathematician and astronomer who published an almanac (1792-1802) containing ephemerides that he had calculated. |
An African-American scientist of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Banneker taught himself calculus and trigonometry in order to make astronomical calculations for almanacs. He was hailed by abolitionists (see abolitionism) for proving that “the powers of the mind are disconnected with the colour of the skin.”
| Banneker (bān'ĭ-kər) Pronunciation Key
American mathematician and astronomer who correctly predicted a solar eclipse in 1789. Although he had little formal education, Banneker published an almanac (1791-1802) containing his calculations of tidal cycles and future eclipses. |