Scurlock, Addison Norton
1883-1964 · Contribution: 1904-1964
Studio photographer
Built the Scurlock Studio into the definitive photographic chronicle of Black Washington, D.C., for six decades, becoming Howard University's official photographer and the portraitist whose work signified having “arrived socially” in the city's Black community

Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1883, Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Active since
- 1904
- Category
- Press & Photography
- Best known for
- Definitive photographic chronicle of Black Washington, D.C.
Impact on the world
Scurlock made the Scurlock Studio synonymous with dignity and achievement in Black Washington, and Carter G. Woodson distributed his portraits nationwide to help launch Negro History Week.
Sources
- Smithsonian Magazine
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Related visionaries
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