"Henry Wilmer "Mike"Bannarn"July 17,1910-September 20,1965)

Was an African American artist,best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance period.He was born in wetumpka Hughes County Oklahoma.When he was still a child,the family moved to Minneapolis,Minnesota where discovered his talent for art.He studied at the Minneapolis School of Arts (now known as the Minneapolis College of Art and Design).He worked as a Works Progress Administration artist for the Federal Art Project and taught art at the Harlem Community Art Center in New York City.Where he was a noted contemporary,friend and partner of another famous African-American artist,Charles Aston,with whom he ran the Alston-Bannarn Harlem Art Workshop in Harlem/NYC,NY.He was intimately associated with the "Harlem Renassiance"of the 1930s being considered as one movement preeminent contributors.He is primarily known for his work in sculpture,he was equally skilled as a figurist and character artist in the various paint mediums,conte crayon,pastel,free form sketch,etc.In 1941 Henry returned to Minnesota and entered a piece of sculpture in the Minnesota State Fair sculpture competition,where he was awarded the first prize.The much-honored artist had won a painting prize at the fair a decade earlier as well,representing one of the earliest achievements by an African-American artist in that state's history.Henry died in Brooklyn.His works are represented in some of the most important collections in the US,such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art,the Smithsonian Institution Darthmouth College's Hood Museum of Art,Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Minnesota Historical Society,Howard University Gallery of Art,and Clark Atlanta University Art Galleries.Very few works exist in private hands.