The Scurlock Studio and Black Washington: Picturing the Promise

I treasured my copy for years. I “knew” Robert Scurlock when he had a studio on 18th St and Swann St Nw. A close friend liked the book too, and darned if I can remember which close friend that was. So I am buying a new copy.

As a nearly lifelong resident of the Washington area and a collector of photography books, I've always wondered why there has never been any comprehensive survey of the Addison Scurlock Studio. For those who may not be acquainted with the name, Scurlock was roughly to Washington what James Van Der Zee was to New York: The man that African Americans went to for that special portrait. After having been to the Smithsonian exhibit in the temporary location of the new African American History Museum, I bought the book and was more than pleased to see that it easily surpassed my hopes and expectations. All aspects of the Scurlock Studio are well represented: the portraits of well known and unknown Washingtonians; the city of Washington, including events and storefronts; the visiting celebrities ranging from DuBois to Fredi Washington; and many photographs of the leaders, students and faculty of Howard University, where Addison Scurlock and his sons Robert and George were the "unofficial official photographers" for the better part of the 20th century. To put my opinion of this book in a bit of personal perspective, I own nearly a thousand photography books, many of them scarce and collectible. This magnificent monograph more than holds its own among the best of them, and it belongs in the collection of any person or family who wants to understand where we've been and how we got to where we are. With its almost absurdly low list price, it's an absolute steal for anyone with an interest in either photography or African American history.