The Famous African Calculator - Thomas Fuller: A Mathematical Prodigy/ Genius.

 A great man once said,

 “It is best I had no learning, for many learned men be great fools.”

This profound statement comes from Thomas Fuller, known as the Virginia Calculator, who was born in 1710 in Africa. He arrived on American shores in 1724 at the age of just 14, forcibly taken and transported against his will.

Despite never having the opportunity to learn to read or write, Fuller possessed an extraordinary mathematical mind. He could multiply to nine-digit numbers, calculate the number of seconds in various time frames, and even determine the number of grains of corn in a given weight. His talent for mental math was nothing short of remarkable.

Thomas Fuller was held captive by Presley and Elizabeth Cox, an illiterate, childless couple who owned a 232-acre farm in Alexandria, Virginia. He worked primarily as a field hand but began honing his mathematical skills from a young age, counting, adding, and multiplying. Folklore tells us that he taught himself mathematics, beginning with simple counting to 10, then 100, and even going so far as to count the hairs on a cow’s tail, which he reported to be 2,872. Fuller also counted bushels of wheat and developed techniques for measuring distances, demonstrating his incredible intelligence.

Due to his exceptional abilities, many sought to purchase Fuller from his captors, but they always refused. Even after the passing of Presley Cox in 1782, Elizabeth refused to part with him. In 1788, two Philadelphians, William Hartshorne and Samuel Coates, members of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery, traveled to Virginia to meet Fuller. Initially skeptical of his genius, they decided to quiz him despite his advanced age of 78. Even with failing memory, he astounded them with his quick calculations, such as determining there were 47,304,000 seconds in a year and a half, and calculating the seconds in the lifespan of a 70-year-old man to be 2,210,500,800, correcting their oversight regarding leap years.

Coates remarked on the unfortunate lack of formal education that matched Fuller’s genius, echoing the sentiment behind his earlier quote about learned fools. This powerful observation remains relevant today as we continue to combat racism.

Fuller’s intellect challenged prevailing prejudices and offered compelling evidence that African individuals possessed intelligence equal to that of their white counterparts. His brilliance was likely not lost on him, as he understood he was being used as a powerful tool in the fight against racism. In his later years, Fuller became a sought-after figure for philosophers, academics, and doctors who would visit, question him, and then return to the northern states to advocate for the abolition of enslavement.

One of these visitors, Benjamin Rush, a physician, chemist, and signatory of the Declaration of Independence, believed that Fuller could significantly aid the abolitionist cause. Unfortunately, Rush faced formidable opposition from influential individuals, including philosopher John Locke, who, despite espousing ideas of natural rights, had financial interests in the slave trade. Locke’s contradictory views were reflected in statements such as, “every freeman of Carolina shall have absolute power and authority over his negro slaves.”

Philosopher David Hume further perpetuated harmful beliefs about the inferiority of African people. Rush understood that to change minds, he needed to present Fuller as the ultimate testament to the intelligence of kidnapped Africans. His writings and advocacy helped disseminate Fuller’s story throughout the northern states, encouraging others to use language that resonated with slave owners in the South.

As Fuller’s story spread, it gained international attention, with politicians and philosophers citing his intellect as a reason to advocate for the abolition of slavery worldwide. However, the necessity of proving the worth of a kind, humble, and intelligent man stolen from his homeland is a heartbreaking commentary on the times.

Historians speculate that Fuller hailed from an area in Africa where mathematics was highly regarded. Many people  forcibly taken from Africa came from regions where revered mathematicians had thrived. 

When Fuller passed away in 1790, people worldwide mourned the loss of a remarkable individual. The Columbian Sentinel, a Boston newspaper, published a poignant elegy that celebrated his life and intellect, stating:

“Died - NEGRO TOM, the famous African Calculator, aged 80 years. He was the property of Mrs. Elizabeth Cox of Alexandria. Tom was a very black man. He was brought to this country at the age of 14, and was sold as an enslaved person along with many of his unfortunate countrymen. This man was a prodigy. Though he could neither read nor write, he had perfectly acquired the art of enumeration. 

The power of recollection and the strength of memory were so complete in him that he could multiply seven into itself, that product by 7, and the product, so produced, by seven for seven times. He could give the number of months, days, weeks, hours, minutes, and seconds in any period of time that any person chose to mention, allowing for all leap years that occurred. His first essay in numbers was counting the hairs in the tails of the cows and horses, which he was set to keep. Thus died Negro Tom, this self-taught arithmetician, this untutored scholar! Had his opportunity for improvement been equal to those of thousands of his fellow men, neither the Royal Society of London, the Academy of Sciences at Paris, nor even a NEWTON himself, need have been ashamed to acknowledge him a Brother in Science.”

For more on Thomas Fuller and his extraordinary life, visit MathScienceHistory , 

Original version Credit Gabriellebirchak

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