Nancy Elizabeth Prophet was the first African American graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. She became a known Harlem Renaissance Sculptor and lived in New York, Paris, and Atlanta, before returning to Rhode Island. Prophet received financial assistance from Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney 1922 to study in Paris. It was here where she attracted the attention of artist Henry O. Tanner. He was impressed by her work and recommended her for the Harmon foundation Prize, which she won. Prophet’s work was exhibited in Paris and received notable attention. In 1932, she returned to America and began teaching at Spelman College and then Atlanta University in 1939. However, she learned quickly that opportunities in art were limited for Black women. Prophet returned to Rhode Island in 1945 and struggled to build a profitable career and with no connections and little money, she began to work in domestic service. In 1978, work was displayed as a portion of the “Four from Providence” exhibit at the Bannister Gallery of Rhode Island College. - written by Keila Davis

The Rhode Island School of Design is among the country's oldest and one of the most prestigious colleges specializing in fine arts and design located in Providence, RI. It was founded in 1877 when the 34 members of the Rhode Island Women’s Centennial Commission voted to invest their group’s surplus funding of $1,675 in founding The Rhode Island School of Design. The school was then lead by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf and has consistently remained at the forefront of art and design education.   - written by Keila Davis