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Secondary sourcePainting1893

Women of distinction - Ida B. Wells

Lawson Andrew Scruggs · 1893

An engraved portrait of Ida B. Wells published in the 1893 book Women of Distinction, showing how she was presented to contemporary readers.

This engraved portrait shows how Wells was presented to contemporary readers in a book celebrating notable Black women.

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Black-and-white halftone portrait of a woman with hair piled high on her head, wearing a high-necked blouse with pleated front and a small brooch, looking toward the viewer with a slight closed-mouth expression.
Lawson Andrew Scruggs (ed.), Women of Distinction, 1893.

About this source

What it is

This is a black-and-white halftone engraved portrait of Ida B. Wells, published in Lawson Andrew Scruggs's 1893 book Women of Distinction. It shows her with her hair piled high, wearing a high-necked blouse with a small brooch.

Why it matters

Images like this helped shape how Black women achievers were presented to the reading public in the 1890s — as dignified, accomplished figures deserving recognition. It reflects both Wells's own stature and the broader project of documenting Black excellence at the time.

Look closer

  • How does this printed portrait compare to a photograph — what might change in the process of engraving?
  • What does her clothing and expression suggest about how the editor wanted readers to see her?
  • Why might a book like this have been important for Black readers in 1893?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Ida B. Wells on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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