Bannister and his wife moved to Providence in 1870, and Bannister soon became the first African American artist to win a national award: first prize in the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Upon discovering that the prize-winning artist was Black, jurors almost revoked the award, but other artists in the competition advocated for his right to keep it. After this, Bannister’s career took off, and he went on to become a prolific painter and a preeminent member of the Providence arts community. Bannister not only succeeded as an artist in the face of widespread racism but built a legacy of appreciation for the arts in Providence, Rhode Island as a founding member of the Providence Art Club, an original board member of Rhode Island School of Design, and a respected art critic.
About the artist
Edward Mitchell Bannister
Bannister and his wife moved to Providence in 1870, and Bannister soon became the first African American artist to win a national award: first prize in the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Upon discovering that the prize-winning artist was Black, jurors almost revoked the award, but other artists in the competition advocated for his right to keep it. After this, Bannister’s career took off, and he went on to become a prolific painter and a preeminent member of the Providence arts community. Bannister not only succeeded as an artist in the face of widespread racism but built a legacy of appreciation for the arts in Providence, Rhode Island as a founding member of the Providence Art Club, an original board member of Rhode Island School of Design, and a respected art critic.