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tal was to be established on land along the Potomac River that Maryland and Virginia had given to the federal gov- ernment; the territory was in the shape of a square measur- ing 10 miles on each side. Ellicott’s team placed boundary stones at mile points along the borders, and Banneker’s major contribution was to make astronomical observations

at Jones Point in Alexandria, to determine the exact starting point for the survey. Aside from his clock, Ban- neker is perhaps most widely celebrated for his interactions with Thomas Jefferson, and some sources even credit the inventor with penning the first protest letter on record. En- closing a copy of an almanac he had compiled, in mid-1791 Banneker wrote Secretary of State Jefferson a lengthy, un- flinching letter in which he referenced the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s response was polite but he did not praise the almanac and years later he told a friend that Banneker had obviously had a great deal

A mural in Washington D.C. by artist Maxime Seelbinder celebrates Banneker’s deeds.

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Black Achievement in Science: Inventors