‘Harlem of the West – The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era’: See the exhibit, read the book

by Eldoris Cameron, SFAAHCS

From May through August, three floors of black and white jazz photographs are on display at the African American Art & Culture Complex. They depict Harlem of the West, the San Francisco Fillmore jazz era that was bustling from the 1930s through the 1950s.

Jazz was “king” and the Fillmore music scene was alive and flowing from end to end in the African American community. Duke Ellington, Eartha Kitt, Lionel Hampton, Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, Joe Louis, Sammie Davis Jr., Eddie and Vernon Alley and other personalities can be seen at Fillmore establishments such as Bop City, Texas Playhouse, Blue Mirror, Club Flamingo, Primalon Ballroom and the Champagne Supper Club.

From May through August, three floors of black and white jazz photographs are on display at the African American Art & Culture Complex.

Many of the photos on display can be found in the popular new edition of “Harlem of the West – The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era,” a beautiful book recently published by authors Elizabeth Pepin Silva and Lewis Watts.

The San Francisco African American Historical & Cultural Society and the San Francisco Public Library collaborated in arranging this photographic exhibit for all to enjoy at no cost to the public. The second-floor photo exhibit can be found in the gallery of the SFAAHCS, “The Society.”

These jazz photos can be viewed Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the African American Art & Culture Complex, located at 762 Fulton St., San Francisco.

The book, “Harlem of the West – The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era,” can be purchased at Marcus Book Store in Oakland or via this Paypal account, [email protected], for $35 for softcover and $65 for hardcover.

Eldoris Cameron, publicity coordinator for the San Francisco African American Historical & Cultural Society (SFAAHCS), can be reached at [email protected].