Addison N. Scurlock (June 19, 1883 – December 16, 1964) was an American photographer, founder of The Scurlock Studio, and businessman who became prominent in the early and mid-20th century for photographing Black Washington.

Early life

Addison Norton Scurlock was born in

Fayetteville, North Carolina Fayetteville () is a city in and the county seat of Cumberland County, North Carolina, Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a major U.S. Army installation northwest of the city. Fayettev ...

, on June 19, 1883. Businessman and Republican politician George C. Scurlock was his father. He had two siblings, including the biochemist Herbert Clay Scurlock. In 1900 after finishing high school, he moved to Washington, D.C., with his family. Scurlock began an apprenticeship with white photographer Moses P. Rice in order to pursue photography. He apprenticed from 1901 to 1904 before establishing himself as a photographer.

Scurlock Studio

The first Scurlock Studio opened in 1904 on S Street in Northwest D.C., which was his parents' home. In 1906, the family and studio moved to

Florida Avenue Florida Avenue is a major street in Washington, D.C. It was originally named Boundary Street, because it formed the northern boundary of the Federal City under the 1791 L'Enfant Plan. With the growth of the city beyond its original borders, Boun ...

. Two years later, they moved to 1202 T Street NW. In 1911, Addison opened a studio at 900 U Street NW. There he erected a display case, which was a popular attraction at the heart of Black Washington on Black Broadway. Addison Scurlock's sons, George H. and Robert S. Scurlock, joined the business in the 1930s. The Scurlock Studio family business was operated by Robert until his death in 1994.

New Negro

The work of Addison N. Scurlock and the Scurlock Studio was affiliated with ideas about pride and progress of the

New Negro "New Negro" is a term popularized during the Harlem Renaissance implying a more outspoken advocacy of dignity and a refusal to submit quietly to the practices and laws of Jim Crow racial segregation. The term "New Negro" was made popular by Ala ...

. The location of the studio in Scurlock's home community and its location in Washington, D.C., facilitated this. The Black elite in Washington and everyday African Americans were aware of the power of both photography and capturing their image in positive ways. Scurlock, not only shot portraits, but also events such as church picnics, meetings, and high school graduations. The following is a brief list of the Scurlock Studio's notable subjects. *

Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to Spiritual (music), spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throu ...

at the Lincoln Memorial *

Anna J. Cooper Anna Julia Haywood Cooper (August 10, 1858February 27, 1964) was an American author, educator, sociologist, speaker, Black liberation activist, and one of the most prominent African-American scholars in United States history. Born into slavery ...

W. E. B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois ( ; February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an American-Ghanaian sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up in ...

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

Mary Church Terrell Mary Church Terrell (born Mary Eliza Church; September 23, 1863 – July 24, 1954) was one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree, and became known as a national activist for civil rights and suffrage. She taught in the Lat ...

and

Robert Heberton Terrell Robert Heberton Terrell (November 27, 1857 – December 20, 1925) was an attorney and the second African American to serve as a justice of the peace in Washington, DC. In 1911 he was appointed as a judge to the District of Columbia Municipal Co ...

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

* Carter G. Woodson *

Jessie De Priest Jessie De Priest (née Williams; September 3, 1870 – March 31, 1961) was a former music teacher married to Oscar Stanton De Priest, the first African American to be elected to the United States Congress in the 20th century. Jessie De Priest was ...

* Madam C.J. Walker

Family

Award-winning film director

Hakeem Khaaliq Hakeem Khaaliq (also Hakeem Abdul-Khaaliq) is an American cinematographer, television producer, film director, photographer, multi-media activist, graphic design artist, and visual anthropologist. Before his career in film and television he work ...

is Scurlock's great-nephew.

References

External links

Scurlock Studio archive records
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution * Haygood, Wil

''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...

'', February 2, 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Scurlock, Addison African-American photographers African-American history of Washington, D.C. 20th-century American photographers 1883 births 1964 deaths People from Fayetteville, North Carolina Photographers from North Carolina Photographers from Washington, D.C. 20th-century African-American artists