Painting Against the Odds: Edward Mitchell Bannister’s Unlikely Career in Late 19th Century America

March 3, 2022

Edward Mitchell Bannister’s career as a successful practicing artist in New England during the late nineteenth century was considered normal. He accepted commissions, painted, socialized with his peers, and sailed his boat along the Narragansett Bay in his leisure time. But, as an African American artist living during the 19th century, the level of normalcy Edward Bannister experienced was, in fact, quite exceptional. Just ten years prior to Bannister’s winning a major art award at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876, the United States had ended the bloodiest war it has ever fought—the Civil War—to end slavery in the US. During this webinar, Rosalyn Delores Elder will explore Bannister’s career and how his laser-focused determination foreshadowed his future success in the midst of exceptional circumstances. Elder is a registered architect, entrepreneur, author, and artist. She received her B.A. Degree in Art History from the University of Memphis, her M. Arch. Degree from the University of Washington, and her M. Arch. in Urban Design Degree from Harvard University. Ms. Elder recently authored Exploring the Legacy, a book on the contributions of African Americans to both our state’s history and our country’s history.