Quaker Benevolence and African Genius: Banneker and Cupid Paca
featuring Dr. Leroy Hopkins, PhD
For generations, Lancaster County’s history has been told through familiar names and well-documented narratives. Yet some of the most remarkable stories—particularly those centered on African American achievement—have remained overlooked or underrepresented. The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County’s January Speaker Series continues its long-standing tradition of illuminating these stories with a compelling evening lecture by Dr. Leroy Hopkins.
Dr. Hopkins will present Quaker Benevolence and African Genius: Banneker and Cupid Paca at the historic Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, inviting audiences to explore how intellect, opportunity, and community intersected in early America—and how Lancaster County played a meaningful role in that story
The January presentation will examine two remarkable figures—Benjamin Banneker and Cupid Paca—through the lens of Quaker benevolence and African American intellectual achievement. Banneker, a self-taught mathematician and astronomer, is widely recognized for his scientific contributions and his role in surveying the original boundaries of Washington, D.C. Cupid Paca, a less familiar but equally compelling figure, represents the untold brilliance and complexity of African American life in the 18th century. By placing these men within the social and cultural networks of their time, Dr. Hopkins reveals how education, patronage, and moral conviction shaped their opportunities—and their legacies.