Robinson’s Barbershop, 1942
Collections in the Classroom
Grade Level
Elementary, Middle, Pre-K
Time Period
1900-1950: Early 20th Century
Theme
Community, Economics
Resource Type
Post-visit material, Pre-visit material, Primary Source
Download Collections in the Classroom: Robinson’s Barber Shop, 1942 (pdf)
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- Where do you get your hair cut?
- How have barbershops and hair studios changed in the last 80 years?
- How do you think Robinson’s barbershop was impacted by Jim Crow laws?
CONTEXT
This is a photograph of Robinson’s Barbershop, which was located on Orleans Street in the Fulton neighborhood. The founder, Charles Francis Robinson (1905–1988) worked for the Lucky Strike tobacco factory in Richmond, Virginia before becoming a barber. Robinson’s Barbershop serviced both white and Black customers during Segregation. In this photo, we see Charles Robinson in the front, with Frederick Robinson in middle giving a shave and Adolphus White at back cutting a child’s hair.
