Explore Black History

ca. 1940

William Naylor Buckner Jr. (1888-1984) was born on October 30, 1888, in Cumberland, Maryland, to William Naylor Buckner Sr. (1866-1926) and Sarah Pauline Smith Buckner (1868-1938). He graduated from the M Street High School in 1907 and from Miner Normal School in 1909. After graduation, he received training in art at Miner Normal and in art and manual training at Columbia University. In 1910 he became the carpentry shop teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in DC, where he remained for two years before transferring to Cook School, then to the O Street vocational school, and finally to the Cordoza Vocational School, where he remained until 1917. In 1917 he transferred to Howard University where he taught shop for boys and art for girls. He was drafted into the National Army Training Corps in May 1918 and taught carpentry to soldiers. He married Mary Elizabeth Cooke a month later on June 22, 1918, at Saint Augustine Church in Washington, D.C. He was discharged from the Army in December 1918 and remained at Howard University until 1924, teaching mechanical drawing and metal shop work. He became the arts and crafts teacher at Armstrong High School in 1924. He received a Master of Science at Howard University in 1927 and a master’s in art education at Columbia University in 1933. He became the principal of Phelps Vocational School in 1944 and the principal of Armstrong High School in 1951. He retired in 1957 after 47 years in the D.C. public school system

A black-and-white photograph encased within a Scurlock Studio photograph folder of William Naylor Buckner Jr. Buckner is depicted seated in three-quarters pose with his body turned towards the right edge of the image. His hands are folded over his proper right thigh, his face is turned towards the viewer, and he has a serious expression on his face. Buckner is wearing a dark tone suit with thin light tone pinstripes over a white dress shirt and a dark tone, paisley patterned tie. There is a metal wedding band on his proper left ring finger. The background is a mottled gray photographic backdrop. The photographic portrait is encased inside a white paper photograph folder with a faux leather finish. The front of the folder has an embossed box at the top center with gold text that reads [a portrait study / by / scurlock / WASHINGTON]. The back of the folder is plain and there are two metal staples along the folder spine. The interior front cover is also plain. On the right interior side of the folder is a white cardboard mat, with a rectangular window at the top center, adhered to the interior of the folder’s back cover. The mat has a thin rectangular, silver border around the photograph and the beveled edges of the window are also silver. Below the silver frame, in the bottom right corner, is gold embossed text that reads [SCURLOCK / WASHINGTON D.C.].

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Photographs and Still Images

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of William and Gregory Gwaltney

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2023.17.5

folders (containers)
gelatin silver prints
portraits

Unknown – Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper with ink on paper

H x W x D (Open): 11 1/16 × 16 1/8 × 1/8 in. (28.1 × 40.9 × 0.3 cm)
H x W x D (Closed): 11 1/16 × 8 3/16 × 1/8 in. (28.1 × 20.8 × 0.3 cm)
H x W (Image (inside frame)): 6 7/16 × 4 1/2 in. (16.4 × 11.4 cm)

Object Name • Photograph of William Naylor Buckner Jr.

nmaahc_2023.17.5

NMAAHC

PHOTOGRAPH OF WILLIAM NAYLOR BUCKNER JR.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1940s

Scurlock Studio (Washington, D.C.) • Howard University • Buckner, William Naylor

District of Columbia • United States • North and Central America • Washington

Education • HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America

folders (containers) • Portraits • Photographs

Images

Unknown - Restrictions Possible