Benjamin Banneker : Surveyor, Astronomer, Publisher, Patriot

The first biography of a major figure in early US and African American historyA household name and unparalleled hero revered in every African American household, Benjamin Banneker was a completely self-taught mathematical genius who achieved professional status in astronomy, navigation, and engineering. His acknowledged expertise and superior surveying skills led to his role as coworker with the Founding Fathers in planning our nation's capitol, Washington, DC. His annual Banneker's Almanac was the first written by a black and outsold the major competition. In addition, he was a vocal force in the fight for the abolition of slavery. Yet, despite his accomplishments, there has been no biography of this important man-until now. Written by an author with strong ties across the Washington-Maryland-Virginia area where abolitionist societies revered Banneker, this long overdue biography at last gives the hard-earned attention this prominent hero and his accomplishments deserve.

CHARLES A. CERAMI is a former principal editor of the Kiplinger Washington Publications and an economist who has written extensively for the Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Magazine, Playboy, Parade, and other leading publications. He is the author of ten books, including Successful Leadership in Business; Alliance Born of Danger; More Profit, Less Risk; and A Marshall Plan for the 1990s.