The Washington times., 1901-10-27
NOTED COLORED BARRIERS.
Negro Artisans Who Have Made
Their Mark in Washington.
Men Who Have shaved Prominent
PersOnnEcs for Iears-The Tonso-
rial Artists Employed ut the Cap
itoI-Fortunes Gained by Many.

|
Personagcs for Years-The Tonso-
rial Artists Employed ut the Cap
itoI-Fortunes Gained by Many.
The passing of the negro barber has
heen referred to in some cities as an
accomplished fact. The white artist
in his 'tonsorial parlor' is driving out,
it is claimed, the familiar barbershop
and the negro barber. That this is true
in certain cities is as evident as the dis
| appearance of the negro coachman in
the largest cities Of the North and East.
| The explanation is not difficult. Away
back, "befo' de wah, sah,' the highest
| ambition of the colored man was linn
tied to the distinction of being prom
| inent barber. Whether a free person
| OF color or a slave, the barber was
| usually the leader in colored society, the
recognized oracle in matters of his
races interest, and the man who did
| yeoman service in preserving the en-
| tente cordiale between the superior and
| inferior races. Whatever may have
been the pathos of slavery, one of its
| great charms was the affectionate and
ored barber and his customers.
Probably the last place in the United
States for the negro to lose any appar-
ent hold upon the public monopoly of
the BARRIERS trade is the National Cap
itol. Nowhere in the North, South.
East, or West can be found SO much
of the flavor of "old times" as in the
District of Columbia, There are half
century landmarks among the barber
shops owned and operated by colored
men, and many of these have kept pace
with the times by fitting out their
places from time to time with all the
latest inventions for making few min
utes in the chair a pleasant portion of
the business mans day. Others have
fallen ava behind the times and are
decidedly lack numbers. According to
"Colored Washington" a book compiled
and published by Andrew f. Hilyer,
under the auspices of the Union
League, an organization to promote
business among the colored people of
Washington there are in this city 131
barber shops owned and operated by
negroes. 1t is stated in this same pub
lication that the 131 shops aggregate a
total value in tools and appliances of
s5e, ,490, and their annual receipts
amount to more than 100000 or an av-
erage of over 81, 500 annual income for
each shop. The number of employees
is 407, which means an average annual
income of about $500 for each person
While this is not large income it COM
requiring no harder physical endurance
and no more educational equipment
Although the hours are long and the
work is cOnfining, there is no business
in which tradesman comes into such
intimate relations with his customers.
There is a contact with intelligent men,
opportunity to hear them discuss ques-
tions of the day and time to read when |
business is dull. There are many who |
have gradua ted from the barber shop |
into spheres of large responsibility and |
distinction. Blanche K. Bruce, who |
served six years in the United States |
Senate, and was Register CT the Treas
ury, began his career in a barber shop. |
Joseph II. Rainey, who served ten years
in the House of Representatives from
South Carolina, the longest term given
any negro Congressman, was likewise
a barber while youth.
OF the 131 negro barber shops in
Washington, seventeen have been in
operation for twenty years or more,
twenty eight between ten and twenty
years, twenty-seven from five to ten
years, twenty-five from three to five
years. and the remainder have begun
their existence less than three years
ago 1t is the older shops that attract
most interest, as their proprietors are
full of "reminiscences of states
men whose faces they have shaved or
whose boards they have trimmed.
Down under the old Willard Hotel,
which has given way for the present
structure, there was a shop conducted
for more than quarter of a century by
Carter A. Stewart, who up to his death
two years ago was as much a feature
Of the hosiery as the old lobby itself
He never forgot a face if he had once
shaved it, nor the name of that face If
/ had been given to him. AS reader
Of character he was par excellent. and
many discouraged public official or
candidate for office had his courage
strengthened by the crude philosophy d
Of Stewart. There were few men who
have attained distinction since the civil
war of whom he could not relate d store
If interesting "reminiscences. Mr.. Stew
art was the head of the official board
n one of the leading colored churches,
leld a similar place among the negro
Masons, and had acquired considerable
property, owning and occupying a large
hree-story brick in Seventeenth Street
northwest. I
To be the barber of the President is t
egarded as the highest distinction l
Lmong BARRIERS. This honor has been
leld by colored men since the founda-
ion Of the Government. John w. Dab
ley, who has a modest shop on f $
street, now holds the envied position II
lie succeeded Charles II. Lemos, who Il
lied three years ago after serving as
White House barber since President
rants tirst term, holding at the same .
ime a clerkship in the Treasury at +
i 400. Mr.. Dabney, however, confines a
imself to his trade, and serves. in ad- y
ition to the President, several mem
ers of the Cabinet and score or more | =
f distinguished officials. Second only T.
ent is that of being a barber to the L
lembers of Congress. The three who
erve the Senators receive $75 a month o
he year around, and have abundant OPP d
ortunity to double the amount in other h