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First published inwards 1791, Benjamin Banneker's almanacs were widely distributed publications. |
Benjamin Banneker (b. 11/9/1731, Maryland – d. 10/9/1806) was an astronomer, mathematician, clockmaker, farmer, writer of almanacs as well as i of the three city surveyors for Washington D.C. As a country, the U.S. was non quite twenty years former when Banneker was appointed urban centre planner to the District of Columbia yesteryear U.S. President George Washington. Banneker's 1793 almanac contained what would endure the earliest known policing programme for the novel nation -- which had but won its liberty from Britain, titled "A Plan of Peace-office for the United States." Benjamin Banneker for sure had many successes as well as he did non allow the prosperity of his personal estate to dictate his politics. An tape of human rights activism in the British colonies as well as early on nation could easily include his writings. H5N1 vocal anti-slavery activist, Banneker publicly deplored the handling of Negroes inwards the US of America, as illustrated inwards his missive of the alphabet to Thomas Jefferson -- penned August of 1791, nearly 10 years before Jefferson was elected to the U.S. presidency.
BENJAMIN BANNEKER'S LETTER TO THOMAS JEFFERSON (August 1791)
I am fully sensible of that freedom, which I accept alongside y'all inwards the introduce occasion, a liberty which seemed to me scarcely allowable, when I reflected on that distinguished as well as dignified station inwards which y'all stand, as well as the close full general prejudice as well as prepossession, which is so prevalent inwards globe against those of my complexion.
I suppose it is truth likewise good attested . . . to demand a proof here, that nosotros are a race of beings, who have got long labored nether the abuse as well as censure of the world; that nosotros have got long been looked upon alongside an oculus of contempt; as well as that nosotros have got long been considered rather as brutish than human, as well as scarcely capable of mental endowments.
Sir, I promise I may safely acknowledge . . . that y'all are a human being less inflexible inwards sentiments of this nature, than many others; that y'all are measurably friendly, as well as good disposed towards us; as well as that y'all are willing as well as create to lend your assistance as well as assistance to our relief, from those many distresses, as well as numerous calamities to which nosotros are reduced.
. . . if this is founded inwards truth, I apprehend y'all volition concealment every opportunity, to eradicate that educate of absurd as well as faux ideas as well as opinions, which so mostly prevails alongside honour to us; as well as that your sentiments are concurrent alongside mine, which are, that i universal Father hath given beingness to us all; as well as that he hath non entirely made us all of i flesh, but that he hath also, without partiality, afforded us all the same sensations as well as endowed us all alongside the same faculties; as well as that nevertheless variable nosotros may endure inwards lodge or religion, nevertheless diversified inwards province of affairs or color, nosotros are all inwards the same identify unit of measurement as well as stand upward inwards the same relation to him.
. . . if these are sentiments of which y'all are fully persuaded, I promise y'all cannot but acknowledge, that it is the indispensable duty of those, who hold for themselves the rights of human nature, as well as who possess the obligations of Christianity, to extend their powerfulness as well as influence to the relief of every component of the human race, from whatever burden or oppression they may unjustly task nether . . .
. . . I have got long been convinced, that if your honey . . . for those inestimable laws, which preserved to y'all the rights of human nature, was founded on sincerity, y'all could non but endure solicitous, that every individual, of whatever rank or distinction, mightiness alongside y'all as bask the blessings thereof; neither could y'all residue satisfied curt of the most active effusion of your exertions, inwards monastic say to the advertisement from whatever province of degradation, to which the unjustifiable cruelty as well as barbarism of men may have got reduced them.
. . . I freely as well as cheerfully acknowledge, that I am of the African race, as well as that color which is natural to them of the deepest dye; as well as it is nether a sense of the most profound gratitude to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, that I instantly confess to y'all that I am non nether that province of tyrannical thraldom, and inhuman captivity, to which likewise many of my brethren are doomed, but that I have got abundantly tasted of the fruition of those blessings, which continue from that gratuitous as well as unequalled liberty alongside which y'all are favored; as well as which, I hope, y'all volition willingly allow y'all have got mercifully received, from the immediate paw of that Being, from whom proceedeth every expert as well as perfect Gift.
. . . endure me to recall to your hear that time, inwards which the arms as well as tyranny of the British crown were exerted . . . inwards monastic say to cut y'all to a province of servitude: facial expression back, I entreat you, on the multifariousness of dangers to which y'all were exposed; reverberate on that time, inwards which every human assistance appeared unavailable, inwards which fifty-fifty promise as well as fortitude wore the aspect of inability to the conflict, as well as y'all cannot but endure led to a serious as well as grateful sense of your miraculous as well as providential preservation; y'all cannot but acknowledge, that the introduce liberty as well as silence . . . is the peculiar approving of Heaven.
This, Sir, was a fourth dimension when y'all clearly saw into the injustice of a province of slavery, as well as inwards which y'all had but apprehensions of the horror of its condition. . . . your abhorrence thereof was so excited, that y'all publicly held forth this truthful as well as invaluable doctrine, which is worthy to endure recorded as well as remembered inwards all succeeding ages: 'We fit these truths to endure self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed yesteryear their Creator alongside sure unalienable rights, as well as that amid these are, life, liberty, as well as the pursuit of happiness.'
. . . tender feelings for yourselves had engaged y'all thence to declare, y'all were so impressed alongside proper ideas of the slap-up violation of liberty, as well as the gratuitous possession of those blessings, to which y'all were entitled yesteryear nature; but, Sir, how piteous is it to reflect, that although y'all were so fully convinced of the benevolence of the Father of Mankind, as well as of his equal as well as impartial distribution of these rights as well as privileges, which he hath conferred upon them, that y'all should at the same fourth dimension counteract his mercies, inwards detaining yesteryear fraud as well as violence so numerous a component of my brethren, nether groaning captivity, as well as savage oppression, that y'all should at the same fourth dimension endure industrial plant life guilty of that most criminal act, which y'all professedly detested inwards others, alongside honour to yourselves.
. . . I suppose that your noesis of the province of affairs of my brethren, is likewise extensive to demand a recital here; neither shall I presume to prescribe methods yesteryear which they may endure relieved, otherwise than yesteryear recommending to y'all as well as all others, to wean yourselves from those narrow prejudices which y'all have got imbibed alongside honour to them, as well as as Job proposed to his friends, 'put your soul inwards their souls' stead'; thence shall your hearts endure enlarged alongside kindness as well as benevolence towards them; as well as thence shall y'all demand neither the direction of myself or others, inwards what agency to continue herein.
And now, Sir, although my sympathy as well as affection for my brethren hath caused my enlargement thence far, I ardently hope, that your candor as well as generosity volition plead alongside y'all inwards my behalf, when I brand known to you, that it was non originally my design; but having taken upward my pen inwards monastic say to straight to you, as a present, a re-create of my Almanac, which I have got calculated for the succeeding year, I was unexpectedly as well as unavoidably led thereto.
This calculation . . . is the production of my arduous study, inwards this most advanced phase of life; for having long had unbounded desires to piece of job acquainted alongside the secrets of nature, I have got had to gratify my curiosity herein through my ain assiduous application to Astronomical Study, inwards which I demand non recount to y'all the many difficulties as well as disadvantages which I have got had to encounter.
And although I had close declined to brand my calculation for the ensuing twelvemonth . . . yet finding myself nether several engagements to Printers of this State, to whom I had communicated my design, on my render to my identify of residence, I industriously applied myself thereto, which I promise I have got accomplished alongside correctness as well as accuracy; a re-create of which I have got taken the liberty to straight to you, as well as which I humbly asking y'all volition favorably receive; . . . I pick out to post it to y'all inwards manuscript . . . that thereby y'all mightiness non entirely have got an before inspection, but that y'all mightiness also see it inwards my ain paw writing.
JEFFERSON'S REPLY TO BANNEKER (August 30, 1791, Philadelphia)
Sir --
-- I give thank y'all you sincerely for your missive of the alphabet of the 19th instant, as well as for the Almanac it contained. Nobody wishes to a greater extent than than I exercise to consider such proofs as y'all exhibit, that nature has given to our dark brethren talents equal to those of the other colours of men, and that the appearance of a want of them is owing entirely to the degraded status of their existence both inwards Africa as well as America. I tin add together alongside truth that no i wishes to a greater extent than ardently to consider a expert organisation commenced for raising the status both of their torso as well as hear to what it ought to be, as fast as the imbecility of their introduce existence, as well as other circumstances which cannot endure neglected, volition admit. I have got accept the liberty of sending your Almanac to Monsieur de Condorcet, Secretary of Society; because I considered it a document to which your whole color had a right for their justification against the doubts which have got been entertained of them.
I am, alongside slap-up esteem, sir, your most obedient servant,
THO. JEFFERSON
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