Scholars

Anne Louise Avery
  Art History / Bannister scholar

Tim Cranston
  RI History

Dr. Jane Lancaster
  RI History / Women in History

Gail Champlain Belt
  RI History / Native American Genealogy

Dr. Nicholas P. Bruno
  RI Art History

Edward A. Giarusso
  RI Art History / field research specialist

Documentary Film Scholarly Research

Only ten years ago, it would take a pre-production crew months to assemble the research one person can do today, in just weeks.

There are entire rare books scanned and available on any computer; one can study the "card files" of many libraries online, allowing more time to spend with the archives in person; and most importantly, one can exchange information around the globe with fellow scholars and researchers.

There is greater access to brilliant curators, librarians and museum archivists, whose expertise and enthusiasm are priceless.

All of this is needed to organize the known documents on the life of Edward Bannister, and to uncover more accounts of his era. The screenplay for this film are entirely based on first-hand accounts, census documents, court records, periodicals, and other records, as the real story is better than fiction.