Barbershops considered the 'cornerstone of the black community'

There's music on the radio, jokes are flying fast and furious, and if you're not ready to give as good as you get, you better stay outside.

It's hard to ignore the cultural phenomenon of the black-owned barbershop. In recent years two major motion pictures, an HBO documentary, and now a reality show on MTV, have all celebrated this place of social vitality.

"Somebody told me it's the oldest legitimate black-owned business enterprise," said Rick James, owner of Mighty Sharp Barbershop and Hair Salon at 403 Broadway. "It's pretty much the cornerstone of the black community."

"The African-American barbershop is like the black man's country club," said Aubrey Daniel, co-owner of The Shop, at 821 Broadway, Suite D. "It's a place for leisure, relaxation and fellowship ... you can come in here, learn some life lessons, laugh until your stomach hurts, and look good afterward."

At any given time in the black-owned barbershops of Cape Girardeau, there maybe more people sitting and enjoying the atmosphere than there are in the chairs. People come for a cut, but they stay for the company. This, said local barbers, is a legacy of segregation when few places existed for black men to congregate.

"There is a long history of people gathering in the same spot at the same time every week, or after work," said James. "A new guy could come in and see what the latest news was and what's going on in sports. Before people had TV and telephones it was one of the only meeting places we had; one of the only places to go and get local news."

James and others said that legacy continues today and one of the first things any newcomer to Cape Girardeau will do is visit one or more of its black-owned barbershops to get information.

"If you move to a new town, just go to the barbershop and if you sit there long enough, you don't have to ask questions, the answers just come to you," said James. "People come in here and say, 'hey man, where's the cleaners at, where can I get my car-work done, where can I get my shoes shined?'"

"Yeah, and 'who's got good rent?'" added barber Martin Porche laughing.

Daniel of The Shop agreed, saying that before a recent game, several members of the Harlem Globetrotters stopped by his shop. He also said he has cut hair and answered questions about the community for newly hired Southeast Missouri State football coach Tony Samuel and members of his staff.

Local barbers also said that barbershops are necessary because men in the black community have historically needed to maintain a certain clean-cut image either to succeed in the business world or maintain respect in the neighborhood.

"Most of [our] clientele are business people," said Porche. "And in the business world, especially for someone who's a minority more or less you've got look how you feel É you're keeping your appearance up and that helps your self-esteem. Getting your hair cut is just about the easiest and cheapest way to do that."

But it's not only for practical reasons that men come in, one of the most celebrated features of the black-owned barbershop is the lively give and take between customers and barbers. James and Porche explained this as "cracking."

"It's part of the comedy that goes with it, it's like when you were a kid if you had big feet they might call you big-foot," said Porche. "It's like a term of endearment É it's not in the way of cracking on you to make you mad, it's more like cracking on you to let you know I'm thinking about you. It's like a pat on the back."

Even with that understanding, James said not everybody knows how to take a joke.

"A lot of times people come in here and they think we're serious, and I can see the expression on their face. They look at us like 'do you want to fight' ... but it's all in fun," he said.

Not even a hard-working reporter got a free pass from the ribbing.

"You look just like Jimmy Olsen from Superman," said Porche. "You know, Superman's little friend who's always saying, 'hey Superman, wait a minute.'"

"Oh, he just cracked on you, you better crack back," James advised. A newcomer always takes his licks the first time in the shop the men explained.

Although barbershops cut men's hair, it doesn't mean they are boys-only clubs.

Dynesha Swan, originally of Jackson, opened her shop, The Cut, at 623 Good Hope St. one year ago. She said she prefers cutting men's hair to the sometimes hours-long process of styling women's hair.

"Women are picky. With men they get in and go out without much fuss, and there is never a dull moment with them," she said. "It's fun, it's a home away from home for a lot of people. Men come in and talk about all the hottest topics."

Swan set up a DVD player and couches as well as a Pac-Man arcade game to foster the at-home feel.

One thing every barber agreed on: Even though their shops are black-owned and the majority of their clientele are black, customers of all races are welcome.

"I have some white customers but not as many as I'd like," said James. "I think some people feel intimidated walking into a barbershop like this, but I'm trying to change that. When people come in here and they ask 'do you cut white folks' hair?' I always say I cut hair period. Of all colors, white, green blue, whatever you got."

James said he is looking into hiring some white barbers.

"I'd really like for this place to be more diverse," he said.