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Benjamin
Banneker to Thomas Jefferson
August 19, 1791
SIR,
I AM fully sensible of the greatness of that freedom,
which I take with you on the present occasion ; a liberty which
seemed to me scarcely allowable, when I reflected on that
distinguished and dignified station in which you stand, and the
almost general prejudice and prepossession, which is so
prevalent in the world against those of my complexion.
I suppose it is a truth too well attested to you, to need a
proof here, that we are a race of beings, who have long labored
under the abuse and censure of the world ; that we have long
been looked upon with an eye of contempt ; and that we have long
been considered rather as brutish than human, and scarcely
capable of mental endowments.
Sir, I hope I may safely admit, in consequence of that report
which hath reached me, that you are a man far less inflexible in
sentiments of this nature, than many others ; that you are
measurably friendly, and well disposed towards us ; and that you
are willing and ready to lend your aid and assistance to our
relief, from those many distresses, and numerous calamities, to
which we are reduced. Now Sir, if this is founded in truth, I
apprehend you will embrace every opportunity, to eradicate that
train of absurd and false ideas and opinions, which so generally
prevails with respect to us ; and that your sentiments are
concurrent with mine, which are, that one universal Father hath
given being to us all ; and that he hath not only made us all of
one flesh, but that he hath also, without partiality, afforded
us all the same sensations and endowed us all with the same
faculties ; and that however variable we may be in society
or religion, however diversified in situation or color, we are
all of the same family, and stand in the same relation to him.
Sir, if these are sentiments of which you are fully
persuaded, I hope you cannot but acknowledge, that it is the
indispensible duty of those, who maintain for themselves the
rights of human nature, and who possess the obligations of
Christianity, to extend their power and influence to the relief
of every part of the human race, from whatever burden or
oppression they may unjustly labor under ; and this, I
apprehend, a full conviction of the truth and obligation of
these principles should lead all to. Sir, I have long been
convinced, that if your love for yourselves, and for those
inestimable laws, which preserved to you the rights of human
nature, was founded on sincerity, you could not but be
solicitous, that every individual, of whatever rank or
distinction, might with you equally enjoy the blessings thereof
; neither could you rest satisfied short of the most active
effusion of your exertions, in order to their promotion from any
state of degradation, to
which the unjustifiable cruelty and barbarism of men may have
reduced them.
Sir, I freely and cheerfully acknowledge, that I am of the
African race, and in that color which is natural to them of the
deepest dye ; and it is under a sense of the most profound
gratitude to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, that I now
confess to you, that I am not under that state of tyrannical
thraldom, and inhuman captivity, to which too many of my
brethren are doomed, but that I have abundantly tasted of the
fruition of those blessings, which proceed from that free and
unequalled liberty with which you are favored ; and which, I
hope, you will willingly allow you have mercifully received,
from the immediate hand of that Being, from whom proceedeth
every good and perfect Gift.
Sir, suffer me to recal to your mind that time, in which the
arms and tyranny of the British crown were exerted, with every
powerful effort, in order to reduce you to a state of servitude
: look back, I entreat you, on the variety of dangers to which
you were exposed ; reflect on that time, in which every human
aid appeared unavailable, and
in which even hope and fortitude wore the aspect of inability to
the conflict, and you cannot but be led to a serious and
grateful sense of your miraculous and providential preservation
; you cannot but acknowledge, that the present freedom and
tranquility which you enjoy you have mercifully received, and
that it is the peculiar blessing of Heaven.
This, Sir, was a time when you cleary saw into the injustice
of a state of slavery, and in which you had just apprehensions
of the horrors of its condition. It was now that your abhorrence
thereof was so excited, that you publicly held forth this true
and invaluable doctrine, which is worthy to be recorded and
remembered in all succeeding ages : ``We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal ; that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and
that among these are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.'' Here was a time, in which your tender feelings for
yourselves had engaged you thus to declare, you were then
impressed with proper ideas of the great violation of liberty,
and the free possession of those blessings, to which you were
entitled by nature ; but, Sir, how pitiable is it to reflect,
that although you were so fully convinced of the benevolence of
the Father of Mankind, and of his equal and impartial
distribution of these rights and privileges, which he hath
conferred upon them, that you should at the same time counteract
his mercies, in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a
part of my brethren, under groaning captivity and cruel
oppression, that you should at the same time be found guilty of
that most criminal act, which you professedly detested in
others, with respect to yourselves.
I suppose that your knowledge of the situation of my
brethren, is too extensive to need a recital here ; neither
shall I presume to prescribe methods by which they may be
relieved, otherwise than by recommending to you and all others,
to wean yourselves from those narrow prejudices which you have
imbibed with respect to them, and as Job proposed to his
friends, ``put your soul in their souls' stead ;'' thus shall
your hearts be enlarged with kindness and benevolence towards
them ; and thus shall you need neither the direction of myself or others, in what
manner to proceed herein. And now, Sir, although my sympathy and
affection for my brethren hath caused my enlargement thus far, I
ardently hope, that your candor and generosity will plead with
you in my behalf, when I make known to you, that it was not
originally my design ; but having taken up my pen in order to
direct to you, as a present, a copy of an Almanac, which I have
calculated for the succeeding year, I was unexpectedly and
unavoidably led thereto.
This calculation is the production of my arduous study, in
this my advanced stage of life ; for having long had unbounded
desires to become acquainted with the secrets of nature, I have
had to gratify my curiosity herein, through my own assiduous
application to Astronomical Study, in which I need not recount
to you the many difficulties and disadvantages, which I have had
to encounter.
And although I had almost declined to make my calculation for
the ensuing year, in
consequence of that time which I had allotted therefor, being
taken up at the Federal Territory, by the request of Mr. Andrew
Ellicott, yet finding myself under several engagements to
Printers of this state, to whom I had communicated my design, on
my return to my place of residence, I industriously applied
myself thereto, which I hope I have accomplished with
correctness and accuracy ; a copy of which I have taken the
liberty to direct to you, and which I humbly request you will
favorably receive ; and although you may have the opportunity of
perusing it after its publication, yet I choose to send it to
you in manuscript previous thereto, that thereby you might not
only have an earlier inspection, but that you might also view it
in my own hand writing.
And now, Sir, I shall conclude, and subscribe myself, with
the most profound respect,
Your most obedient humble servant,
BENJAMIN BANNEKER.
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