Les Amis Celebrates Women's History Month - Part 4

For the last installment of the Les Amis Celebrates Women's History Month series, I'm featuring images of three sketches that Beauford created for Unsung Americans Sung, the book edited by Beauford's friend, W. C. Handy.

Phillis Wheatley

Phyllis Wheatley
Pencil sketch
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Beauford's sketch was undoubtedly inspired by the 1773 engraving that graced the cover of Phillis (Phyllis) Wheatley's Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.

 

Portrait of Phillis Wheatley
Attributed to Scipio Moorhead
Image in Public Domain

Wheatley was the first black woman to publish a book of poetry in the U.S.  Read about her here.

Sissieretta Jones

Sissieretta Jones
Pencil sketch
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

 

I believe Beauford's sketch was inspired by the photograph of Jones by African-American photographer Addison N. Scurlock.

 

Sissieretta Jones
c. 1911 Addison N. Scurlock
H. Lawrence Freeman Collection
Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Columbia University
Fair Use Claim

 

Sissieretta Jones was a formally trained opera singer who became known as "the Black Patti."  She was the first African American to headline at Carnegie Hall in NYC.  Read about her here.

Florence Mills

Florence Mills
Pencil sketch
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

James Van Der Zee's 1927 portrait of Florence Mills was the model for Beauford's sketch of this consummate performer.

 

 Florence Mills
1927 James Van Der Zee
Vintage gelatin silver print
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Fair Use Claim

Read about her here.