Edward Mitchell Bannister was one of the first African American painters of the 19th century to gain a national reputation.
Bannister was inspired to become an artist after he read an 1860s newspaper article claiming African Americans couldn’t master the field of painting. In 1876, he became the first Black man to win an award for his work at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, marking him a successful and respected artist.
Learn more about Bannister with our curator Lauren.
#BlackHistoryMonth
