Name/Title
Studio Portrait of Lewis H. Latimer by Mitchell, Lewisham, S.E. (1882)Description
This folder contains two modern copy prints of a black-and-white studio portrait featuring Lewis H. Latimer (1848–1928), an African American inventor, engineer, and draftsman. Latimer is wearing a formal double-breasted suit, vest, high-collared shirt, and patterned cravat, and he has a neatly groomed mustache and round glasses. The photographer’s name, "Mitchell," is inscribed in cursive at the bottom left, along with the studio's address: "133, High Street, Lewisham, S.E." A faint handwritten marking near the bottom reads "1882," suggesting the year the portrait was taken.Context
Lewis H. Latimer was a pioneering inventor and patent draftsman who played a role in the development of electric lighting technology. His contributions include work on improving the carbon filament for incandescent light bulbs. Latimer worked with Alexander Graham Bell, helping draft the patent for the telephone, and later for Thomas Edison, making him one of the few African Americans directly involved in the early electrical industry. His work extended to the United States Electric Light Co., Imperial Electric Lighting Co., and Mather Electric Light Co., as documented in historical records. This portrait from 1882 captures Latimer during a period of professional advancement when he was actively involved in the emerging electrical industry for Hiram Maxim in London.Collection
The Lewis H. Latimer Papers (1870-1929, 1972) [QPL Subgroup], Latimer Family Papers (1870-1996 ) [QPL Full Collection]Inscription/Signature/Marks
Transcription
Transcription or Marks
"Mitchell" (Photographer’s name, bottom left)
"133, High Street, Lewisham, S.E." (Photography studio address)
"1882" (Handwritten date near the bottom)
