Collection of approximately 17,000 frames of black and white negatives, 2,000 color photographic prints and 340 color slides by Edward Stanton of San Francisco, California between 1959 and late 1980s. The photographs document the everyday of San Francisco including significant landmarks. Stanton documented street scenes; buildings; protests, demonstrations and parades; graffiti, signs and murals.

Edward Harry “Stanton” Stankiewicz was born to Anna Tuchewicz and Theodore Stankiewicz on September 7, 1914 in Detroit Michigan. During the late Depression years, inspired by documentarians, he taught himself photography. Before and after World War II, Stankiewicz worked for Chrysler. During World War II, he was injured in the African campaign and earned a Purple Heart in Africa. On January 30, 1948, he married Ashene Yaghjian in Detroit, Michigan. Edward Stankiewicz changed his surname to Stanton in 1948. Stanton and his wife moved to San Francisco, California in the late 1950s and were residents of the Richmond District and then Sunset District. Stanton worked for the State of California and devoted his evenings and weekends to his photography, as well as sculpture and tapestry work. Stanton had photo shows in local galleries in the 1980s. Edward Harry “Stanton” Stankiewicz died on June 25, 2006 in San Francisco, California.

3 pamphlet boxes, 2 shoe boxes

All requests for permission to publish from photographs must be submitted in writing to the Photo Curator. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

The collection is currently unprocessed but available for research. Please contact the Photo Curator. The collection is available for use during Photo Desk hours.