L'Tanya, Sam Taylor, and Sam Taylor's wife in sporty attire, Los Angeles, 1950s

Item Overview

Title

L'Tanya, Sam Taylor, and Sam Taylor's wife in sporty attire, Los Angeles, 1950s

Date Created

[1950s?]

Date

1950/1959

Language

No linguistic content

Collection

Walter L. Gordon, Jr./William C. Beverly, Jr. Collection

Notes

Summary

LaTanya Griffin (or "L'Tanya," or "L'Tanya Martinique") was a society woman, a model and a fashion designer. In her early twenties, she was awarded a contract by the Guild Studios to design gowns for Ida Lapino. She was contracted to with the Edward D. Wood Production company to design gowns for 20 of its films in 1954, making her the first African American designer to have a contract with a Hollywood film studio. She and Earl Griffin divorced in 1949.
Sam Taylor was a chauffeur (for Duke Ellington, among others), "sportsman," and proprietor of the club Sam's Place.

Description

All information concerning the content and description of the image was provided by Walter Gordon.
From L to R: LaTanya, Sam Taylor, chauffeur, and Taylor's wife.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph : b&w

Keywords

Genre

Black-and-white photographs

Names

Taylor, Sam, 1892-1976
Griffin, L'Tanya, 1919-1996

Location

California--Los Angeles

Resource type

still image

Subjects

Lifestyle
People

African American models--California--Los Angeles
African American fashion designers--California--Los Angeles
African American businesspeople--California--Los Angeles