An Annotated Bibliography on Edward Mitchell Bannister and Christiana Carteaux Bannister
Click here for information about recent updates
This annotated bibliography is the result of a collaboration between myself and the Providence Art Club. What started out as a simple partnership to prepare some teacher resources about the Bannisters and the time period they lived in, ended with, not only teacher resources, but this bibliography. In preparation for assembling some teacher resources, I was curious to see what already existed regarding the Bannisters. My assumption was that there was very little.
|
I was wrong. While there is not an abundance of primary source material about Edward or Christiana’s early lives, there is a significant amount of material that has been produced about them as artists, entrepreneurs, abolitionists, and activists.
I did not include every item written by or about the Bannisters. In fact, one clear area not included in this bibliography is correspondence from the Bannisters or from folks corresponding with or about the Bannisters. The simple reason for this omission is because I could find none. Newspaper articles are another area where I exercised editorial discretion. For example, I did not include every article that mentions the Bannisters in the Providence Journal. There are many announcements of exhibitions and events that say the same thing and offer no new information. I chose not to include the repeats. Unless otherwise noted, all images are used under Creative Commons licensing or with permission from the Providence Art Club.
I am deeply grateful for the contributions of Nancy Whipple Grinnell and Elizabeth Zimmerman from the Providence Art Club; Victoria Gao, Director of the Bannister Gallery and Exhibitions at Rhode Island College;
Barnaby Evans, Creator and Artistic Director of Waterfire; Dr. Sara Picard, Art Historian at Rhode Island College; Rhode Island historian Tim Cranston; and activist, historian and Cristiana Bannister scholar Ray Rickman.
Finally, very little published information about the Bannisters should be considered definitive. There are contradictions, inconsistencies, and myths galore in the literature about the Bannisters. I do maintain a digital library of newspaper articles, academic journals, some books, government records, and miscellaneous materials about the Bannisters. Access to this digital library is provided upon request.
I did not include every item written by or about the Bannisters. In fact, one clear area not included in this bibliography is correspondence from the Bannisters or from folks corresponding with or about the Bannisters. The simple reason for this omission is because I could find none. Newspaper articles are another area where I exercised editorial discretion. For example, I did not include every article that mentions the Bannisters in the Providence Journal. There are many announcements of exhibitions and events that say the same thing and offer no new information. I chose not to include the repeats. Unless otherwise noted, all images are used under Creative Commons licensing or with permission from the Providence Art Club.
I am deeply grateful for the contributions of Nancy Whipple Grinnell and Elizabeth Zimmerman from the Providence Art Club; Victoria Gao, Director of the Bannister Gallery and Exhibitions at Rhode Island College;
Barnaby Evans, Creator and Artistic Director of Waterfire; Dr. Sara Picard, Art Historian at Rhode Island College; Rhode Island historian Tim Cranston; and activist, historian and Cristiana Bannister scholar Ray Rickman.
Finally, very little published information about the Bannisters should be considered definitive. There are contradictions, inconsistencies, and myths galore in the literature about the Bannisters. I do maintain a digital library of newspaper articles, academic journals, some books, government records, and miscellaneous materials about the Bannisters. Access to this digital library is provided upon request.
Table of Contents
Click on chapter heading to open page
Click on chapter heading to open page
Educator Tools
Bannister Timeline
The Invention of Race
The History of Race in the U.S. and Rhode Island
Our Community
Bannister Timeline
The Invention of Race
The History of Race in the U.S. and Rhode Island
Our Community
© 2022 by Michael McGuigan
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
February 22, 2023. Revised the Bannister timeline to focus on the details of Edward and Christiana. Previous timeline will be placed on another page.
February 20, 2023. Added link to Rhode Island PBS broadcast of Providence Art Club interview about statue project.
February 11, 2023: Added six newspaper articles, two about Bannister's ownership of a barber shop. Added dissertations by Hollis and Gonzalez.
February 10, 2023: added “Massachusetts Artists’ Centennial Album.”
February 20, 2023. Added link to Rhode Island PBS broadcast of Providence Art Club interview about statue project.
February 11, 2023: Added six newspaper articles, two about Bannister's ownership of a barber shop. Added dissertations by Hollis and Gonzalez.
February 10, 2023: added “Massachusetts Artists’ Centennial Album.”
Working in partnership with the Providence community and its leaders, the Providence Art Club is helping lead another fitting tribute to the artist: a bronze statue of him that will sit at Market Square on the Providence River. To learn more click here.