Black barbers, reflected a freed slave who barbered in antebellum St. Louis, may have been "the only men in their community who enjoyed, at all times, the privilege of free speech." The reason, of course, lay in their temporary-but absolute-power over a client. With a flick of the wrist, 19th-century black barbers could have slit the throats of the white men they shaved. In Knights of the Razor, Douglas Walter Bristol, Jr., explores this extraordinary relationship in the largely untold story of African American barbers, North and South, from the American Revolution to the First World War. Besides establishing the modern-day barbershop, these barbers used their skilled trade to navigate the many pitfalls that racism created for ambitious black men. They dominated an upscale market that catered to prosperous white men. At the same time, their respect for labor itself preserved their ties to the black community. Successful barbers assumed leadership roles in their localities, helping to form a black middle class despite pervasive racial segregation.
They advocated economic independence from whites and founded insurance companies that became some of the largest black-owned corporations. Bristol engagingly narrates this story of skilled blacks and elite whites. More broadly, he offers a thoughtful study of the nuances of race relations and the ingenuity of black enterprise. Knights of the Razor tackles a rich and tangled subject.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
The Knights of the Razor definitely get their due in this wonderfully crafted and highly entertaining book. It is a cornucopia of themes, insights, data, and mini-biographies about fascinating characters... What Douglas Bristol accomplishes in this book is to give black barbers real faces and personalities, and their profession much redeeming dignity beyond the stereotypes of racial and ideological politics. He restores them to American history. -- Joe Short Internet Review of Books 2010 This is a valuable book that makes clear that African American barbers have long been due more attention from scholars. Bristol succeeds in returning them to their place in the history of both the black middle class and the struggle for racial equality, humanizing and giving voice to hardworking, dignified men whom many scholars had long unfairly dismissed as unavoidably compromised because of their chosen paths to success. -- Scott Giltner H-CivWar, H-Net Reviews 2010 In this imaginatively researched and engagingly written book, Douglas Walter Bristol, Jr. provides a rich historical study of a long-neglected and much-deserving subject. -- Martin Anthony Summers Journal of American History 2010 Knights is a well-written, tightly packed history that confronts pressing questions and will appeal to readers interested in African American history, race, and slavery as well as those concerned with the larger implications of practicing social history. -- Thomas H. Sheller Maryland Historical Magazine & MHS Publications 2010 Douglas Bristol provides a fascinating look into the largely unknown lives of black barbers from the American Revolution through the early twentieth century... A stimulating and informative work. -- Alexa Benson Henderson Business History Review 2010 This study makes a valuable contribution to the literature on African Americans in business... A stimulating and informative work. -- Alexa Benson Henderson Business History Review 2010 Knights of the Razor is an insightful and well-written analysis of race, racism, and the resourcefulness of black enterprise in the long 19th century. Douglas Walter Bristol has illuminated a history that well represents the process of African American men transforming themselves from enslaved workers and servants into successful businessmen and community leaders. -- J. Brent Morris Journal of African American History 2011 The book's broad chronological and geographical scope that allows Bristol to examine many critical aspects of the black barber experience makes his study the most comprehensive work written on this topic to date. -- Robert C. Kenzer Journal of Southern History 2011
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Illustrationen
6 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder
6 Halftones, black and white
Maße
Höhe: 229 mm
Breite: 152 mm
Dicke: 21 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-8018-9283-7 (9780801892837)
DOI
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Douglas Walter Bristol, Jr., is an associate professor of history at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Autor*in
Associate ProfessorThe University of Southern Mississippi
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Origins of Black Barbers
2. Becoming Knights of the Razor
3. Caught between Regional Origins and the Barber's Trade
4. Self-Improvement and Self-Loathing before the War
5. Defining the Meaning of Freedom
6. From Barbershops to Boardrooms
Conclusion
Notes
Guide to Further Reading
Index
