[AFRICAN AMERICANA - EARLY PHOTOGRAPHY]. A group of 2 albums containing photographs of African American families, including snapshots of civilians and soldiers. Ca 1930s-1940s.

15 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. photograph album with faint ink identification on cover to a "Mrs. Ray Francys" of Los Angeles, California, containing over 120 photographs ranging in size from approx. 1 1/2 x 2 in. to 8 x 10 in., mounted recto/verso on album pages. Photographs appear to document everyday family life as well as special occasions, with even a few snapshots of military subjects including uniformed African American soldiers and military vehicles in a jungle or island setting. A souvenir photograph from "The New 'Club Alabam'" in Los Angeles features two African American couples seated at a round dinner table. The photograph is housed in a cardstock sleeve with the name of the establishment printed on the cover. Included is a 5 x 7 autographed photograph of Nat King Cole.

12 1/4 x 14 1/2 scrapbook album identified to a Glyddie Kirkendall, containing over 70 photographs and numerous newspaper and magazine clippings (clippings mostly related to African American boxer Joe Louis). Photographs range in size from 1 3/4 x 2 1/4 in. to 7 x 5 in., and are mounted recto/verso on album pages. Many document an apparent trip to the Dominican Republic, including a photograph of someone standing outside the US embassy there, along with casual portraiture captioned, sometimes humorously, by (presumably) Glyddie. A souvenir photograph from the Arlington Inn, a Chinese and American restaurant in Brooklyn, features 7 African American men and women seated around a dinner table. The photograph is housed in a cardstock sleeve signed by the subjects featured, and Glyddie captions the picture, "After we went to the Dance in N.Y." World War II stickers adorn two of the pages, including one bearing a cartoon depiction of Adolf Hitler being kicked and the text "Shake a Leg Mister!"