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The exceptional life of Benjamin Banneker - Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua

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Born in 1731 to freed slaves on a farm in Baltimore, Benjamin Banneker was obsessed with math and science. And his appetite for knowledge only grew as he taught himself astronomy, mathematics, engineering, and the study of the natural world. Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua details the numerous accomplishments of Benjamin Banneker.

Benjamin Banneker is said to be the first African-American man of science. What sort of limitations would he have faced in his time and how did overcome them?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua
  • Director Jun Zee Myers
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Composer Ian Smith
  • Sound Designer Howard Sinden
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Pen-Pen Chen

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