Latrobe, John H.B., 1803-1891 Memoir of Benjamin Banneker read before the Maryland Historical Society, at the monthly meeting, May 1, 1845
Order a pdf of this item here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06111 Author/Creator: Latrobe, John H.B., 1803-1891 Place Written: Baltimore, Maryland Type: Pamphlet Date: 1845 Pagination: 1 v. : 16 p. ; Height: 23 cm, Width: 14.3 cm Order a Copy
First edition published by John D. Toy. Honors Banneker, a free African American scientist/astronomer from Maryland who created of a series of famous almanacs. Compares Banneker to David Rittenhouse, a noted Pennsylvania astronomer and inventor. Latrobe mentions that Maryland is the only State that has created a plan for how to deal with rising concerns about African-Americans: they have chosen to appropriate money to establish a colony of freemen in Africa. Also adds that the case of Banneker is interesting in light of discussions about the comparative native intellect of blacks and whites. Includes a printed letter from Thomas Jefferson to Banneker. In this letter, Jefferson thanks Banneker for an almanac he sent, and states "Nobody wishes more than I do to see such proofs as you exhibit, that nature has given to our black brethren talents equal to those of the other colours of men, and that the appearance of a want of them is owing only to the degraded condition of their existence both in Africa and America."
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.