Dear Benjamin Banneker

The amazing true story of the free African American scientist who exchanged letters about slavery with Thomas Jefferson.

In the 1700s, Benjamin Banneker was troubled by the fact that not all blacks were free like he was. And so, in 1791, he wrote to Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who had signed the Declaration of Independence. Banneker attacked the institution of slavery and dared to call Jefferson a hypocrite for owning slaves—and Jefferson responded.

This is the story of a remarkable man—a tobacco farmer who taught himself about mathematics, astronomy, and more, and embarked upon an extraordinary correspondence with one of America's founding fathers. Illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Brian Pinkney, it is not only a unique biography for young readers but an inspiring story of perseverance in the fight against injustice.

"Excerpts from the correspondence between the two men are woven into the narrative, deepening the poignancy of this moving story with the presence of historical weight." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)