A: Black and white, glossy photograph. Image shows three African American women, and an African American man; they appear to be in their twenties. They're in a nightclub in the Internation Settlement of San Francisco; a barrel has been used as a table. (Since the establishments in the International Settlement were generally thematic, it is possible that this photograph was taken in either the Covered Wagon, Show Boat or The Barn.) There are drinks on the table. The social group behind them is composed of African Americans, standing, talking and some smoking. The young woman at the proper right foregound has a cigarette in her left hand, is wearing fingernail polish and appears to have a light colored coat on over a beige or pastel suit and has small earrings. The next young woman is wearing a light colored chesterfield style coat (with a velvet collar), a white flower in her hair (gardenia?) and is holding a man's light colored fedora in her lap. The young man is dressed in a suit (gray or tan?) with a white shirt and a necktie with some horizontal patterning. The young woman on the proper left is dressed in light colored clothing, with a small hat (the veil has been pulled back from her face and arranged over the top of her hat). She's wearing small earrings, has a dark colored purse in her lap upon which her hands are folded; she's wearing fingernail polish. In the background the woman in the center is dressed in a pin striped suit, white ruffled front blouse, white earrings, white flower in the hair, and a large, dark purse tucked under her right arm. The back of the photograph is stamped "May 20 1944." B: Folder of baby blue colored card stock. Printed in red, the front reads "International Settlement in San Francisco, 'The City that knows how!' Pacific Street, Between Montgomery and Kearny Streets." There's an image of the Arch across the street and several of the nighclubs and restaurants in the area: Covered Wagon, House of Pisco, Show Boat, Monaco, Gay Nineties, The Barn, Hurricane and La Conga. The back is printed with patriotic images: soldier and American flag, an airplane, a ship, a tank and soldiers operating a large gun. Also, "Candid Photo Studios, 557 Pacific Street, San Francisco 11, Calif." The back half of the folder as four diagonal slits into which fits the photograph.
The International Settlement in San Francisco was a popular area for a night out on the town. Restaurants - some with live stage shows - nightclubs and bars were crowded into one block of Pacific (bewteen Mongomery and Kearny). A large iron arch stretched across the entrances to the street, announcing it was the "International Settlement." During World War II it was a spot where military personnel might go when in the City on leave. It was also favored by local workers because of the many thematic restaurants and clubs. You could go to the Settlement (which was billed as "San Francisco's Famous Gay Street" - at that time meaning fun-filled) to Lucca's for an Italian meal or to the Show Boat for a taste of the Mississippi River. All five of the photographs in this collection came from the home of Sallie Eakins.
