Edward Mitchell Bannister Biography in Men of Mark

Edward Mitchell Bannister Biography in Men of Mark

This biographical anthology entry places Edward Mitchell Bannister within a broader community of notable Black Americans in the late nineteenth century. It provides a rare contemporary acknowledgment of his artistic and abolitionist achievements at a time when mainstream institutions still marginalized him. Its presence in the exhibit highlights how Black networks actively worked to preserve Bannister’s artistic legitimacy and legacy, while white Canadian and American art histories did not. This is especially striking when considering the New York Herald's racist claim that Black people were incapable of creative production. This source also serves as a reminder of the hostile cultural landscape Black artists had to overcome.

William J. Simmons

Simmons, William J. “Edward M. Bannister.” In Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive, and Rising, 1127–31. Cleveland: George M. Rewell & Co., 1887.

George M. Rewell & Co.

1887

Public domain. Digitized by Emory University Libraries; digital copy via Internet Archive.

Chapter of Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive, and Rising (1887)

Digitized book chapter

English

Cleveland, Ohio

Printed book