Depictions of African American personalities and public figures, many in Washington, D.C., from 1908 to 1958, consisting of studio portraits of educators, school administrators, civic leaders, government officials, writers, actors, and composers; group portraits of beauty contestants, government advisers, attendees and organizers at college functions, and civil rights activists; and views of labor pickets, civil rights demonstrators, a motorcade for a fraternal group, and a cornerstone dedication. Many of the college teachers, administrators and events depicted are related to Howard University, an historically Black college in Washington, D.C. Also of note are a view of American President Theodore Roosevelt presiding over a cornerstone laying for the Colored Y.M.C.A. in Washington, D.C. (1908); individual portraits and a group portrait of members of the "Black Cabinet" (ca. 1930s); a group portrait of the White House Conference group of the National Women's Council (1938); and views of demonstrators, including members of the National Negro Congress, protesting the discriminatory hiring practices of Glenn T. Martin aircraft manufacturer (ca. 1940s).
Content: Most photographs bear photographer's or photography studio's hand stamp on verso; some items bear photographer's signature on recto; some items bear photography studio's blind stamp on recto; some items bear photography studio's name printed on recto; matted images bear photography studio's name printed on mat recto. Some items bear handwritten captions on verso; some items bear handwritten captions on recto; two items have typewritten caption labels attached to verso. Some items bear inscriptions on either verso or recto. One item is mounted; two items are matted in commercial mats. Some items bear cropping marks; one items bears retouching marks.
Content: Hand stamps for both photographer Addison N. Scurlock, and Scurlock Studios appear on most prints.
Biographical/historical: Addison N. Scurlock, 1883-1964, was an African American photographer and filmmaker who documented the personalities and institutions of Washington, D.C.'s Black community for six decades. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Scurlock apprenticed at Rice Studio in Washington before working independently in 1904. He opened Scurlock Studio in 1911 where he earned his reputation as a prominant portrait photographer of Black leaders, and served as the official photographer for Howard University, Washington's historically Black college. During the 1930s, Scurlock developed a weekly newsreel of Washington events, and contributed photographs to publictions by the Works Progress Administration.
Biographical/historical: Scurlock's sons, Robert S. (1916-1994) and George H. (1919-2005), both born in Washington and later Howard University graduates in the 1940s, worked for their father after graduation, and co-founded the Capitol School of Photography (1948-1952). Robert founded CustomCraft Studio in 1952, which specialized in color photography services. George took over his father's studio after Addison's death in 1964. In the 1970s, the two studios were merged under the name CustomCraft. In 1994, the surviving brother George closed the studio. Addison Scurlock died in Washington in 1964; Robert and George had been lifelong residents of the District of Columbia when they died.
Physical Description
Extent: 59 items (.3 cubic ft., one box)
Extent: 29 photographic prints :gelatin silver, black and white ;21 x 26 cm and smaller
Extent: 27 photographic prints :gelatin silver, black and white ;18 x 13 cm and smaller
Extent: 4 photographic prints :gelatin silver, black and white ;28 x 50 cm and smaller
