PRESS PHOTOGRAPH OF WILLIAM SAMUEL NOISETTE, AFRICAN-AMERICAN MESSENGER FOR THE FBI AND ARTIST, HOLDING ONE OF HIS PAINTINGS EXHIBITED AT HIS ONE-MAN SHOW

[Washington, 1938. Photograph, oblong 6-1/2" x 8-1/2." From the firm Underwood & Underwood, with its typed caption on a separate paper beneath the photograph, the caption's top margin adhering to the verso of the photograph. Fine.

"There aren't many today, outside of the FBI, who recall William Samuel Noisette but those insiders who worked at FBIHQ will recall 'Sam' if they had the occasion to go to Hoover's office. . . He was appointed a Special Agent in 1957 but remained at FBIHQ and retired finally in 1968 after serving 40 years with the FBI. Noisette's true love was painting and today, many of his paintings are scattered with FBI families and others. His art shows continued on for decades while employed with the FBI" [online article, 'Faded Glory: Dusty Roads of an FBI Era,' at web site of historical gmen].
The Underwood caption states: "FBI MESSENGER EXHIBITS PAINTINGS IN ONE MAN SHOW. William Samuel Noisette, J. Edgar Hoovers private messenger exhibits his paintings in a one man art show. Sam is shown holding one of his favorite paintings, entitled Wash Day in Dixie. Sam started painting in 1933 and started his first show and has sold over 100 hundred paintings. . .