Born in Hampton, Virginia in 1898, Helen (often called Evangeline, or "Vangi") Banks, the daughter of Issiah and Anna DeCosta Banks, came to Charleston, S.C. as a child and spent most of her life there. She attended city schools, Avery Normal Institute, and Howard University. In 1922, she married Armistead B. Harrison (1893-1985), son of Charles Alonzo Harrison (1876-1942), rector (1918-1936) of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and long time barber and eventual owner of Felder's Barbershop in Charleston, S.C. In 1935, she began working as clerk in the out patient clinic of Charleston's segregated Hospital and Training School for Nurses, where her mother served as superintendent of nursing for 35 years. Harrison became Medical Records Librarian at McClennan-Banks Memorial Hospital, the successor organization to the Hospital and Training School, partly named in honor of her mother. Evangeline Banks Harrison retired in 1966 and continued to serve a number of women's, social and civic organization, including the Charleston Chapter of LINKS, of which she was a charter member. Mrs. Harrison died in 1985 a few months after her husband.
From the description of Helen Evangeline Banks Harrison papers, ca. 1850-ca. 1985 (bulk ca. 1940-ca. 1959). (College of Charleston). WorldCat record id: 166408981
