Christiana Carteaux Bannister

**Christiana Carteaux Bannister** (née **Babcock**; 1819–1902) na she be an American business entrepreneur, hairdresser, den abolitionist insyd New England. Na dem know am professionally as **Madame Carteaux**. Na Christiana marry to successful artist Edward Mitchell Bannister, wey na she support am financially during de early stages of ein career. While na dem overlook Christiana ein legacy insyd de past, na coverage of ein work insyd popular sources during de late 2010s bring new attention to ein success den political efforts.

## Biography

Na dem born Christiana Carteaux Bannister insyd 1819 insyd North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Na she be born to African American den Narragansett Indian parents. Na she be a descendant of enslaved Africans wey work de plantations of South County, Rhode Island, during de eighteenth century. As a young woman, na she move go Boston wer na she work as a wigmaker den hairdresser.

## Marriages

Na Christiana appear insyd de 1846 Boston directory dem list as a milliner. Records sanso dey state say na she marry Desiline Carteaux, a clothes dealer den cigar maker.Na ein marriage to Carteaux, wey na dem believe to be of Caribbean origin, na e no last. Na de two lived on Beacon Hill insyd Boston, buh by 1850 na dem separate wey Christiana live plus paddies insyd Providence.

Insyd 1853 na Christiana den Edward Mitchell Bannister meet wen he apply for work as a barber insyd ein Boston salon. Na she den Bannister marry on June 10, 1857. Bannister cam be one of de most successful Black artists secof Christiana Carteaux Bannister ein financial den emotional support. Na he attribute much of ein success to Christiana for ein critical eye den ein business sense. Insyd 1869, na de Bannisters move go Providence, Rhode Island, wey Christiana continue ein business as a hairdresser as well as ein activism.

## Hairdressing business

As a young woman, na Christiana move from Rhode Island to Boston wer na she begin ein career as a wigmaker. Na she be professionally known as Madame Carteaux, Women's Hairdresser den Wigmaker. Na she be a successful business entrepreneur, den self-styled "hair doctress," wey dey generate income by hairdressing den dey sell ein own hair products. From 1847 to 1871 na Christiana Carteaux Bannister maintain chaw salons insyd Boston wey dey include on Cambridge, Washington, den Winter Streets. Wen na Christiana Carteaux Bannister den Edward Bannister move to Providence, na she open anoda salon insyd Providence.

## Abolitionists

While insyd Boston, na de Bannisters live den work plus abolitionist Lewis Hayden. Na de family participate insyd Lewis ein facilitation of de Boston Underground Railroad, wey dem dey provide dema hair salons as meeting places give African American den white abolitionists.

## Oda activism

During de Civil War, na Christiana Carteaux Bannister be an advocate for equal pay give Black soldiers. Insyd November 1864, na she organize a fair wey be sponsored by de Boston Colored Ladies Sanitary Commission make e benefit de African American regiments, de 54th den 55th Massachusetts den de 5th Massachusetts Cavalry, wey na dem serve for a year den a half widout pay rada dan accept less dan de white soldiers be paid.

Insyd Providence, na she found de Home for Aged Colored Women wen na she learn about de struggles of African American women wey na dem work as domestics buh na dem be too old to work wey na dem often cam be homeless. Na de home move from Transit St. to Dodge St. wey na dem rename am Bannister House, Inc.

## Death den legacy

Despite ein success thru out ein professional life, Bannister die plus little money insyd January 1903. Though na dem admit am into de Home for Aged Colored Women insyd September 1902, na Bannister reportedly live plus mental illness wey na dem transfer am to de Howard Asylum, na Lancaster report. Upon ein death, na dem lay am make she rest next to ein husby, wey na he die insyd January 1901 during a church prayer meeting, widout a grave marker.

Chaw years after ein death, na she begin dey receive more public recognition for ein contributions to society den Black history. Na dem induct Bannister into de Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame insyd 2003, den a bronze bust of am, wey based upon a portrait na Edward paint, wey na dem place am insyd de Rhode Island State House insyd December 2002.

## References


## Read further
* Davis, Karen A. "Christiana Carteaux Bannister (1819–1902): A supporter of the arts and social causes." *Women in R.I. History: Making a Difference*. Providence: Providence Journal Co, 1994.
* Laxton, Glenn. "Christiana Bannister." *Hidden History of Rhode Island: Forgotten Tales of the Ocean State*. Charleston, SC: The Henry Press, 2009.
* Block, Elizabeth L. (2011). *[https://www.proquest.com/openview/32b04b528a96c9e3405e5247cec5ff07/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750 Respecting hair: The culture and representation of American women's hairstyles, 1865–90]* (Thesis). CUNY.
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*Horton, James Oliver (1973). *[https://www.proquest.com/openview/cb0c6d857c659db63a3ed915e31acc4e/1?cbl=18750&diss=y&pq-origsite=gscholar&parentSessionId=dIa50PG3nlgoVIkZ25iLMdfUl5cA%2BjSTQkHxeuFzxN0%3D Black Activism in Boston, 1830-1860]* (PhD). Brandeis University.
## External links
* World Black History!
*, archived from original 21 October 2021