Lucenda Daniel papers

Collection

Identifier: aarl-2020-001

Scope and Contents

The Lucenda Daniel Collection consists of photographs, programs, and correspondence from fashion designer Lucenda Daniel of Washington, D.C. Daniel was a former President of the D.C. Chapter of the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers (NAFAD), an organization that supported Black fashion designers in making their mark in the fashion industry. She designed clothing for prominent individuals in the D.C. area and gained significant recognition for her creative designs.

The collection includes photographs of models, debutantes, and customers wearing her handmade designs, as well as programs from shows that featured Daniel's work.

Dates

Majority of material found within 1960 - 1967

Conditions Governing Use

Prior permission from the Research Library must be obtained in writing before any portion of this collection can be published or reproduced.

Biographical / Historical

Lucenda Daniel was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised on a farm in Arkansas with eleven siblings, where she became the family seamstress. She worked her way through a chemistry course at Tuskegee Institute, later continuing her studies in chemistry at Howard University and education at D.C. Teachers College. Daniel eventually returned to her original passion, designing, and remained in Washington, D.C., until her death on January 1, 2003.

Lucenda Daniel was a prominent designer in Washington, D.C., and her shop, Lucenda's, was located at 722 Webster Street, NW. There, she catered to distinguished clients and diplomats. Daniel received numerous awards, and her works were featured in newspapers, JET magazine, and recognized by other designers.