Eight black athletes are trying out for the Los Angeles Dons of the All-America Football Conference.

July 31, 1947: “The Owl,” the Sentinel’s nightlife columnist, visited the clubs, noting that the high prices of food and rent were taking a toll on going out.

During World War II, California imposed a midnight curfew on bars and made liquor stores close at 8 p.m. Effective July 1, 1947, bars and liquor stores were once again permitted to stay open until 2 a.m. The Sentinel praised the later hours as a boost for club owners and live entertainment, but “The Owl” noted that some clubs were cutting prices and dropping cover charges to attract more business.

What we know in hindsight is that the big-band days were over and the era of jazz trios, quartets and quintets was beginning.