Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin.

Important Harmon Foundation portraits of Black leaders

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These ten prints belong to the Harmon Foundation’s celebrated “Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin” project, a visual initiative begun in the early 1940s with oil portraits by Betsy Graves Reyneau and Laura Wheeler Waring.

The project itself was conceived by Reyneau as a “visual education” effort. She was “shocked by the overt racism that existed in the 1930’s. She decided that by using her skills as a portrait painter she could do something that would make a difference in the country’s perception of African Americans. Reyneau’s determination eventually resulted in a set of portraits commissioned by the Harmon Foundation.” (National Archives)

The Black artist Laura Wheeler Waring was commissioned to work with Reyneau. Years earlier, during visits to Europe, Waring met and befriended other artists, writers, and intellectuals of the African diaspora, such as Henry Ossawa Tanner and W. E. B. Du Bois. Some of her friends and acquaintances sat for their portraits with Waring. Her art was displayed at the Harmon Foundation exhibition of works by “Negro artists” in 1927.

The Harmon Foundation commissioned the series to recognize African American achievement, beginning with 22 portraits and later expanding to 47. The paintings debuted at the Smithsonian in May 1944, and due to public demand toured nationally through museums, galleries, and civic venues for several years. Reyneau completed the majority of the works while Waring, who died in 1948, contributed several of her most accomplished likenesses, including (as seen with this set) W.E.B. Du Bois, Marian Anderson, George Washington Carver, and George Edmund Haynes.

The Foundation issued the portraits in at least three formats. The present set of ten, accompanied by a portfolio envelope and broadside (both lacking here), represents the intermediate format. A smaller set of twenty-four 3 × 5 in. prints was issued in a printed envelope, while a larger series of twenty-four prints was produced in a larger format. All formats are rare. OCLC 774915628 records just one example of the ten-print set offered here.

The 10 portraits are titled and captioned thus: Mary McLeod Bethune, “Founder of Bethune-Cookman College, Director, Division of Negro Affairs - National Youth Administration, President, National Council of Negro Women” (Reyneau); Jane M. Bolin, “Justice of Domestic Relations Court of the City of New York” (Reyneau); W. E. B. Du Bois, “Editor - Writer - Teacher, Interpreter of Race Relations” (Waring); George Edmund Haynes, “Secretary of Race Relations, Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America” (Waring); William Campbell, “Captain - 99th Pursuit Squadron [Tuskegee Airman]” (Reyneau); Channing H. Tobias, “Religious and Social Leader” (Reyneau); Marion Anderson, “Contralto” (Waring); George Washington Carver, “Scientist” (Reyneau); Charles Richard Drew, “Surgeon, Pioneer in Blood Plasma” (Reyneau); Asa Philip Randolph, “Labor Leader, International President Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters” (Reyneau).

Price: $650.00