Mrs. Oscar Jessie Williams De Priest paper photoprint

Object Details

Photographer: Scurlock, Addison N., 1883-1964
Names: Chicago Defender (newspaper); De Priest, Jessie Williams (Mrs. Oscar De Priest); De Priest, Oscar, 1871-1951
Series Creator: Scurlock, Robert S. (Saunders), 1917-1994; Scurlock, Addison N., 1883-1964; Custom Craft; Scurlock Studio (Washington, D.C.); Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005

See more items in: Scurlock Studio Records, Series 1: Black and White Photographs; Scurlock Studio Records, Series 1: Black and White Photographs / 1.1: Clients Black and White Photographs / De Priest, Oscar (Mrs.)

Sponsor: The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.

Biographical / Historical: Jessie De Priest was the wife of Chicago Congressman Oscar De Priest. This standing view was published in the Chicago Daily Defender, Saturday, June 22, 1929 with a caption, and depicts her wearing the costume she wore to a White House tea for Congressional wives at the invitation of Mrs. Herbert Hoover. As Jessie Williams De Priest was one of the first African American women to be entertained by a first lady, the event created a stir, especially among Southerners, the caption for this picture notes. The Daily Defender article, "Interesting News of the Week in Pictures," states that the reception occurred on Wednesday of that week, which would have been June 19, presumably the same date as the photograph. The Scurlock credit line is included in the caption. (Information provided by Ms. Shelley Stokes-Hammond, June 6, 2003.)

Series Citation: Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution

Series Rights: When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Genre/Form: Photographs -- 19th-20th century -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin

Scope and Contents: Studio shot, full-figure. Subject wears hat and light-colored dress with pleated skirt, holds small handbag, while standing beside a studio bench. Ink on verso: "A 180 / Mrs. Oscar De Priest."

Series Restrictions: Collection is open for research. Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.