#PF53
Ca. 1943-1953
167 loose original gelatin silver photographs, including 6 larger studio photos ca. 26x21 cm (10 x 8 in) from Teakwood club (Oakland); 25 smallest photos ca. 9 x 9 cm (3 ½ x 3 ½ in), and the rest of the photos from ca. 18x2x13,8 cm (7 x 5 ½ in) to 13x9 cm (5 x 3 ½ in). 107 photos are either captioned or dated (most of the dated photos originate from the 1940s and only two from the 1950s), 60 photos without any markings. The mounting corner remnants on many of the prints suggest the photos were originally part of a single, unified album. Two photos are from 1910s and 1920s New Orleans and Jackson, MI, photographers, showing two different women from the family at earlier ages. The other studio markings on the photos are: “Metro movie snaps 1945 Harrison street Oakland 12 California,” “Gushiniere Studio (San Francisco ?),” “Christy Shepherd Hollywood,” “Adamsfotos 6314 Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago.”
An extensive private collection documenting several dozen individuals from an unidentified African American family, with two principal branches residing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. The photographs capture family members at Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving gatherings; during automobile outings; socializing at home and on city streets; fishing; running a stand at a farmers’ market; and traveling to sulfur springs.
Several male family members are shown in military uniforms while on leave. One photograph depicts a couple attending the East–West Shrine Bowl Game at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, in 1946. Another shows a young woman in a white graduation cap and gown, captioned “Your (little) girl Carroll,” taken at the Christy Shepherd Studio in Hollywood. There’s also one interesting photo of an older couple walking along Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, with the Parkway Theatre marquee visible behind them, along with signage for a local night school.
Some of the captions: "Kano city", "Sulphur springs", "Memphis Tenn", "Los Angeles Calif", "Memphis in Feb., 1945 (Soldier and a civilian shown)", "Farmer’s market", "Chicago, 46", "Frisco", "Frisco 1949", "Oakland California 1948", "This is me in my home", "These pictures were all taken in the back yard of our house. Cute aren’t they? I am 214 lbs. now and Pearl has gained a lot too", "This is the place where I caught all the fish’’.
