Glen McCreary Photographs of United Nations Conference on International Organization 1945 SFP 80
Finding aid composed by Norman Yee.
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
2023
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Title: Glen McCreary Photographs of United Nations Conference on International
Organization
Creator:
McCreary, Glen
Identifier/Call Number: SFP 80
Physical Description:
1 manuscript box
(o.5 cubic feet)
Date: 1945
Abstract: This collection
consists of two albums along with loose photographs for a total of 127 black and white
gelatin silver prints taken of the U.N. Organizing Conference held in San Francisco from
April 25 through June 26, 1945. All photographs were taken by Glen McCreary, a U.S. Army
photographer assigned to cover the conference or by his associates. Also included is a
printed booklet entitled "A Pictorial Record of the Delegates to the United Nations
Conference on International Organization".
Physical Location: The collection is stored
onsite.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English.
The collection is available for use during Photo Desk hours. Collections that are stored
offsite should be requested 48 hours in advance.
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.
[Identification of item], Glen McCreary Photographs of United Nations Conference on
International Organization (SFP 80), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public
Library.
Gift from Glen McCreary in August, 1995.
Glen E. McCreary was born on June 23rd, 1914 in Portland, Oregon. He enlisted with the
United States Army in 1940, and was an US Army photographer active during World War II,
serving as a Signal Corps Photographer in Alaska from June 1941 until March 1945. After the
war he was assigned to the Photo Lab in the San Francisco Presidio, and was subsequently
loaned to the State Department to work at the United Nations Conference on International
Organization along with other Army and Navy photographers. As a member of the photographic
pool he and his colleagues covered the various events and activities of the U.N. Conference.
He married Mary Elizabeth Cleary on June 24th, 1953 and they had two children, Paula Jean
McCreary Kelly and Scott Thane McCreary. Glen passed away on January 9th, 2010.
This collection consists of two albums along with loose photographs for a total of 127
black and white gelatin silver prints taken of the U.N. Organizing Conference held in San
Francisco from April 25 through June 26, 1945. Subjects of significance include heads of
state and delegates of the participating countries such as President Harry S. Truman, US
Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius Jr., British Prime Minister Clement Richard Atlee,
and Soviet Representative Vyacheslav Mikhaylovich Molotov, among others. Also depicted are
views of the conference, including Plenary sessions in the San Francisco War Memorial Opera
House and the empty Charter signing desk in the adjacent Herbst Theater. Loose photographs,
in addition to the aforementioned subjects, depict members of other delegations and moments
of the conference. Some photographs have handwritten labels in pencil on their reverse. Also
included is a printed booklet entitled "A Pictorial Record of the Delegates to the United
Nations Conference on International Organization", which contains photographs of each of the
50 country delegations, often in group photos.
This collection is arranged into two bound albums followed by three folders of loose prints
and one printed booklet.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
United Nations Conference on International Organization -- 1945 -- San
Francisco, Calif.
United Nations -- San Francisco, Calif.
Photographic prints.
Photograph albums.
Snapshots.
United Nations Conference on International Organization
(1945) (San Francisco, Calif.)
SFP 80.1
This item is a leather bound photo album, measuring 11 x 8.5 inches in size, and
containing 55 photographs. Subjects of significance include: President Harry S. Truman
(addressing the Plenary session, signing the U.N. Charter, greeting soldiers, etc.); US
Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius Jr.; Soviet Representative Vyacheslav
Mikhaylovich Molotov; British Prime Minister Clement Richard Atlee; and others in
various group photographs. Also depicted are H.R.H. Amir Faisal of Saudi Arabia signing
the U.N. Charter; Plenary sessions and other meetings; Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar of India.
Also included in the album are depictions of administrative personnel, including
Admission Group, Navy and Army reception committee, and press corps, among others. There
is also a photograph of Glen McCreary. Many photos are have handwritten labels inserted
later on slip sheets between the album pages.
SFP 80.2
This item is a string bound photo album with missing string, measuring 10.5 x 13 inches
in size, and containing 11 photographs. Depicted are additional views of the subjects
described in SFP 80.1. Highlights include: Plenary sessions in the San Francisco War
Memorial Opera House; the empty Charter signing desk in the adjacent Herbst Theater;
President Truman looking on as another individual signs the Charter. Also included are
several commendations that were presented to Glen McCreary for his work at the
conference, as well as a hand-written page from him entitled "How I got there," which
provides some biographical information about his service during World War II.
SFP 80.3
This item consists of one folder containing 16 photographs, each 9.25 x 7.5 inches or
the reverse. Some are hand-labeled on the reverse in pencil. Depicted are additional
views of the subjects described in SFP 80.1. Highlights include: Convocation at Greek
Theater, U.C. Berkeley on May 4, 1945 where leaders of the United Kingdom, United
States, China, and Soviet Union delegations received honorary degrees; Governor Earl
Warren addressing the opening session; high angle view of the War Memorial Opera House
and Veterans Building in San Francisco Civic Center, and the site of the Conference
sessions and Charter signing.
SFP 80.4
This item consists of one folder containing 21 photographs, each 9.25 x 7.5 inches or
the reverse. Many photographs are hand-labeled on the reverse in pencil. Depicted are
additional views of the subjects described in SFP 80.1. Highlights include: members of
the Ethiopian and Philippines delegations; site of a barbecue for delegates held in Glen
Ellen; Vyacheslav Mikhaylovich Molotov addressing the Plenary session.
SFP 80.5
This item consists of one folder containing 24 photographs, each 4.5 x 3.5 inches or
the reverse plus two negatives of the same size. Many photographs are hand-labeled on
the reverse in pencil. Depicted are additional views of the subjects described in SFP
80.1. Highlights include individual as well as group photos of delegates engaged in
various activities; meetings, addressing the Plenary, among others.
SFP 80.6
This item consists of a printed booklet entitled "A Pictorial Record of the Delegates
to the United Nations Conference on International Organization" which contains
photographs of each of the 50 country delegations. Delegates are mostly seen in group
photos, with each delegate's name listed in the captions. There are also general
activity photographs of Plenary sessions, meetings, working press, press conferences,
and international secretariat.