I think i'm almost there

src/components/AuthMenu.js

@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@ class AuthMenu extends Component {
     super(props)
     this.state = {
         where_in_auth_menu: "username",
-        auth_menu_visible: true,
+        auth_menu_visible: props.auth_menu_visible,
     }
     this.handleSignUpRequest = this.handleSignUpRequest.bind(this)
     this.handleLogInAttempt = this.handleLogInAttempt.bind(this)
     this.handleAccountCreation = this.handleAccountCreation.bind(this)
+    this.authMenu = this.authMenu.bind(this)
   }
 
   handleSignUpRequest() {
@@ -33,11 +34,11 @@ class AuthMenu extends Component {
     }));
   }
 
-  render() {
-    return (
-      <div>
-        {(() => {
-          switch(this.state.auth_location) {
+  authMenu() {
+    if (!this.state.auth_menu_visible) {
+        return null;
+    }
+    switch(this.state.where_in_auth_menu) {
       case 'username':
         return (
           <div className="ui menu dropdown" style={{display: "inline"}}>
@@ -66,8 +67,11 @@ class AuthMenu extends Component {
       default:
         return null;
     }
-        })()}
-      </div>
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    return (
+      this.authMenu(this.state.auth_menu_visible)
     )
   }
 }

src/components/NavBar.js

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class NavBar extends Component {
          <div onClick={this.handleLoginDropdown} className='item ui button dropdown'>
            Login
            <i className="dropdown icon"></i>
-           <AuthMenu showMenu={this.state.auth_menu_visible}></AuthMenu>
+           <AuthMenu auth_menu_visible={this.state.auth_menu_visible}></AuthMenu>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>