The Royal Esquire Club is a private African American men's club in Seattle, founded in 1947 by five young Black men since there was no other welcoming venue in the city where they could socialize. Still active as of 2025 and now located in the Columbia City neighborhood, the club provides a space for social interaction, education, and entertainment for its members and their guests as well as a venue for facilitating volunteer efforts in support of the community.

Here, two unidentified members of the Royal Esquire Club stand on either side of Jessie Grimes on the steps of Collins Field House, a community center in the Central Area neighborhood. Ms. Grimes holds a trophy which names her as "Miss Esquire" for 1949. The Collins Field House, at 14th Ave. S. and S. Washington St., was torn down in 1975.

Visible by his shadow is photographer Albert Joseph "Al" Smith, Sr. (1916-2008). A postal carrier during the week, Al Smith spent weekends taking pictures for his photography business "On The Spot." His photographs tell the stories of everyday people who shaped the dynamic character of Seattle, offering rare views into the city’s African American community, the Central Area neighborhood, and the local jazz scene.

Caption information source: "Royal Esquire Club, The (Seattle)," by Mary T. Henry, HistoryLink.org Essay 9522.