Bristol Historical And Preservation Society

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: THE PEOPLE AND IDEAS BEHIND THE 1877 WARREN BLACK GOSPEL WINDOW [OUR RESEARCH TEAM SEEKS SUPPORT IN THE MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION FUNDING CATEGORY TO UNDERTAKE A MULTIFACETED EXAMINATION OF THE 1877 WARREN BLACK GOSPEL WINDOW, UNCOVERED IN 2022 AFTER MANY YEARS OF OBSCURITY IN A CLOSED PARISH IN WARREN, RI. ATTRIBUTED TO THE HENRY SHARP STUDIO, NY, IT DEPICTS CHRIST WITH MARY AND MARTHA (TOP PANEL) AND CHRIST WITH THE SAMARITAN WOMAN (LOWER PANEL), ALL RENDERED AS PEOPLE OF COLOR. ADDING COMPLEXITY, THE WINDOW COMMEMORATES TWO WHITE SISTERS, RUTH BOURNE DEWOLF AND HANNAH BOURNE GIBBS, WHO BOTH MARRIED INTO BRISTOL'S DEWOLF SLAVE-TRADING EMPIRE. THE WINDOW WAS COMMISSIONED AND INSTALLED IN 1877/1878, JUST AS RECONSTRUCTION AND A POWERFUL ALLIANCE BETWEEN SUFFRAGISTS AND ABOLITIONISTS WAS COMING TO AN END. THE TEAM?S MANUSCRIPT WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION IN 2028 TO MARK THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WINDOW?S INSTALLATION AT ST. MARK'S CHURCH, WARREN, AND CELEBRATE ITS ARRIVAL IN ITS NEW HOME AT MEMPHIS ART MUSEUM, MEMPHIS, TN.]