A postal carrier during the week, Albert Joseph "Al" Smith, Sr. (1916-2008) 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.

Here, Smith captures the moment when one-year-old Patsy Davis prepares to blow out the candle on her first birthday cake, surrounded by eleven other babies and toddlers. The baby in the upper right corner has been identified as Yvonne Ervin Carr.

Identification of Patsy Davis and Yvonne Ervin Carr was provided by Yvonne Ervin Carr in January 2026.