Portrait of the staff of the Ella P. and William Stewart pharmacy

Portrait of the staff of the Ella P. and William Stewart pharmacy

A black and white portrait taken around 1950 of the mostly African American employees of Stewart's Pharmacy in Toledo, Ohio. Owned by Ella P. Stewart and her husband William W. Stewart, the pharmacy opened in 1922. Mrs. Stewart was the nation's first African-American woman pharmacist. As pharmacists, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart became involved in their community giving advice and help on employment, housing and food. As a leader in the community, Mrs. Stewart served on many local and national human rights organizations. In 1963 she was appointed to the executive board of UNESCO where she travelled around the world as a goodwill ambassador for the United States. The pharmacy closed in 1945.