Commentary on Edward Mitchell Bannister in the New York Globe

Commentary on Edward Mitchell Bannister in the New York Globe

This newspaper commentary provides one of the earliest accounts of Bannister’s reception within cultural circles. The Globe notes the praises for his artistic achievements while acknowledging that it is still framed through the racism he endured. The article pushes back against that prejudice, describing Bannister as evidence of Black artistic excellence at a time when white critics attempted to deny his talent. As a primary source, it captures the tension between recognition and exclusion that shaped Bannister’s career. Its inclusion in the exhibit demonstrates how Black newspapers actively worked to protect and promote Black artists, and how white art critics continued to frame everything through race.

New York Globe

“Notes and Comment.” New York Globe, June 2, 1883, 2.

New York Globe

2 June 1883

Public domain. Digital image courtesy of Library of Congress.

Digitized newspaper clipping

English

Newspaper Article