The Anti-Mask League of San Francisco — Mistakes Were Made

Cases of the Spanish Flu appeared in San Francisco during the fall of 1918. By mid-October, the city had over 2,000 cases. The city’s Board of Health enacted various measures to curb the disease, such as banning gatherings, closing schools and theatres, and warning citizens to avoid crowds. Professions that served customers (i.e. restaurants, barbers and store clerks) were required to wear masks. On October 25, the city passed an ordinance requiring everyone in San Francisco to wear a mask while in public or when in a group of two or more people, except at mealtime.

The initial compliance of the ordinance was high, with about 80% of people wearing masks in public. The Red Cross sold masks at the ferry terminal for incoming passengers. Anyone who failed to wear a mask or wore it improperly was charged with disturbing the peace. A warning was issued first and after any subsequent violation was fined or jailed. The mask ordinance was annulled on November 21, 1918. When the Second wave of the Spanish Flu increased the sick count, a new ordinance was passed that mandated mask wearing in January 1919.

Some residents didn’t like the first mask ordinance, but the second one energized the disgruntled. The Anti-Mask league was formed in response to the growing discontent with the mask ordinance. Members of the league included…