Green’s Dictionary of Slang

band n.1

[? SE bantam (hen)]

1. (US black) a woman.

[US]Eve. Sun (Baltimore, MD) 9 Dec. 31/5: Band— a woman.
[US]Goldin et al. DAUL 22/2: Band. (South) A woman. ‘They Just snatched a chiv-man (a knife-fighter) and lagged him (put him in prison) for carving his initials on his band.’.
[US]Wentworth & Flexner DAS.

2. (Aus./US) a prostitute.

[US]Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
[Aus]N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 230/1: band (cake, cromo, low-heel) – a prostitute.