"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : THE FORMER BLACK-OWNED BARBEQUE ESTABLISHMENTS in MONROE, featuring HUEY "Lil Bob" NASH, "THE BLACK MAN FROM LOUISIANA WHO BROKE THE COLOR BARRIER AT THE TEXAS STATE FAIR IN 1964"

Oh boy, do I have a humdinger of a story to share with everyone this week! While many Black People in Monroe and the state of Louisiana know about Huey P. Newton being from Monroe, Louisiana, very few Black People in Louisiana have heard about "Huey Nash Sr." and his historical accomplishment at the 1964 Texas State Fair. For those who don't already know, Huey "Lil' Bob" Nash was born on March 21, 1935 in Mangham, Louisiana. Also, I would like to add that many descendants of the Nash Family have lived, and are currently living here in Monroe today. Well, our story takes us all the way back to the year 1964, the year when the name Huey Nash was "etched indelibly in history!" You see, it was in1964, at the Texas State Fair that Huey Nash broke the "Texas State Fair Color Barrier to become the First Black Food Vendor to be allowed to set up a food booth on the fairgrounds of the Texas State Fair!" By the way, before 1964, a period of more than 78 years, no other Black person had been granted permission to have a food concession stand at the Texas State Fair. Although it took Huey more than 2 attempts and five years are more of wading through red tape, he never gave out and he never gave up! Also, it was reported that Huey worked 2 or 3 jobs, in order to raise the money for the licenses and other fees. Furthermore, what's even more amazing is that he was able to achieve such a great feat and still feed & provide for his wife and their 4 children. Interesting enough, before he died on Tuesday September 20, 2011, from congestive heart failure, which was probably the results of poor ventilation in his barbecue smokehouse, a "Lil' Bob's Barbecue Restaurant" opened right here in Monroe at 1612 Garrett Road. In closing, here's a list of a few of the Former Black-Owned Barbeque Establishments that are a part of "Our Rich Black Heritage!" : 1. Lil' Bob's Barbecue Restaurant that was located at 1612 Garrett Road ; 2.H.H.Marbles Barbeque that was located at 1000 Breard Street ; 3.Hill's Barbeque that was located at 813 Texas Ave ; 4.Mr. T's Barbeque that was located at 3021 Renwick Street ; 5.Quick-Stop Barbeque that was located at 2400 Desiard Street ; 6.Murray's Barbeque that was located at 2710 Renwick Street ; 7. Willie's Barbecue & Catering that was located at 411 Desiard Street ; 8.Prezell's Smokehouse that was located at 1704 Powell Ave ; 9.Bo Jingles Drive Inn that was located at 2940 Renwick Street ; and 10.Bodacious Barbeque that was located on Louisville Avenue, just to name a few.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : THE FORMER BLACK-OWNED BARBERSHOPS in MONROE

Before I give my list of some of the former Black-Owned Barbershops that use to be in Monroe,Louisiana, I will share a short story about one of the neighborhood Barbers, who cut my hair when I was around 8 years old. By the way, I grew up on the Southside of Monroe, in the "Legendary Bryant's Edition Subdivision!" My family lived on Bethune Street, right by the Zoo, only a few blocks away from where Sammy White, his parents, and his siblings lived. Well, getting back to the man who cut my hair a few times when I was a kid. I never knew his full name, or his first name, but "Mr. W T" is what everyone in my neighborhood called him. I still remember the first time my mother told me to go and have Mr. W T cut my hair. Since Mr. W T stayed on Beverly Street, within walking distance from my house, I was able to walk to his house by myself. My biggest concern about having Mr. W T cut my hair is that the kids at school had already told me about how Mr. W T would accidentally "cut a plug" in your hair. You see, during the week Mr. W T worked a full-time job, therefore, he would cut hair on Saturday mornings. Also, Mr. W T "loved watching wrestling," while he was cutting someone's hair, and would sometimes get distracted, which caused him to cut a plug in your head! Most times, the boy wouldn't even discover what had be done to him, until after he had left Mr. W T's house. After the boy showed up at school, everyone would say that he had a "W T SPECIAL!" Fortunately for me, I never received his special haircut. Now, here's my list of former Black-Owned Barbershops! 1. The Ritz Barbershop that was located at 918 Desiard Street ; 2.Ford's Clip & Style that was located at 1908 Tichelli Road, which was owned by Mrs. Rozena Ford ; 3. Robinson & Perry Barbershop that was located at 1101 Desiard Street, with William Robinson listed as being Co-Owner ; 4.Robert & Dorothy's Barbershop that was located at 709 Desiard Street, which was owned by Robert and Dorothy Henry ; 5.Stamper's Barbershop that was located at 713 Desiard Street, which was owned by Bennerson Stamper ; 6.Napoleon's Barbershop that was located on Renwick Street ; 7.Nelson 's Barbershop & Beauty Salon that was located at 3009 Burg Jones Lane ; 8.Edward's Barbershop & Beauty Salon that was located at 3310 Renwick Street ; 9.His & Hers Unisex Hair Styling Shop that was located at 1425 Winnsboro Road, and 10.Handy's Barbershop that's still in business, and is located at 3404 Renwick, which was owned by Jesse Handy, just to name a few!

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : "THE FORMER BLACK-OWNED BEAUTY SHOPS in MONROE"

Once upon a time, in the Louisiana Territory, back when it was under Spanish rule.There was actually a Law that made "CREOLE WOMEN" & "FREE WOMEN of COLOR" tone down the beauty of their hair! The law was called the "TIGNON LAW," and it required just about all Colored looking women in Louisiana to wear a type of head covering known as "A TIGNON." Although the law was aimed mainly at Free Women of Color, it was enforced against Creole Women, Mulatto Women, and even the darker Colored female slaves as well. Interestingly enough, the law was meant not only to control the appearance of Colored Women, but also to identify the Colored Women as belonging to the "SLAVE CLASS" as well as to help stop the spread of "PLACAGE and MISCEGENATION." You see, many White women were jealous of how their husbands and other White Men got "ALL GOOFY-EYED" when they saw Colored Women, and how they wore their beautiful hair! By the way, the Tignon Law was enacted by Spanish Governor, Esteban Rodriguez Miro'. Yes, he was the same Governor who commissioned a French officer named Don Juan Filhiol to establish a fort in Ouachita Parish, back in 1791.The fort was built in the Ouachita River Valley, a part of Northeast Louisiana. Originally, the fort was named "Fort Miro," in honor of Governor Miro'. However, in 1820, the fort was renamed MONROE, after a "STEAMBOAT named JAMES MONROE," after the boat arrived in Ouachita Parish. Once the United States took ownership of Louisiana through the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the Tignon Laws were no longer enforced, but placage and miscegenation still existed, just as it still exists in Louisiana today. Well, enough about all that... let's reminisce about some of the Forgotten Black-Owned Beauty Shops and their owners that lived in Monroe, Louisiana. Without further a due, here's a short list of some of the former Black-Owned Beauty Establishments that are a part of "OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE!" : 1.La Henri-Anna Beauty Shop & School, which was owned by Mrs. Henri-Anna Carroll that was located at 1001 Washington Street in Monroe ; 2.Price's Beauty Shop, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and was owned by Mrs. Annie Mae Ford Price that was located at 2101 Grammont Street in Monroe ; 3. Estelle's Beauty Shop, which was owned by Estelle Dunn that was located around the 2900 block of Jackson Street in Monroe ; 4. Lovely Brown Beauty Shop that was located at 903 Desiard Street in Monroe ; 5.Marjorie's Beauty Salon that was located at 1115 Breard Street in Monroe ; 6. Mercy's Beauty Shop that was located at 1103 Desiard Street in Monroe ; 7. Ruth's Beauty Shop that was located at 1317 Desiard Street ; 8. Katie's Beauty Shop that was located at 126 Powell's Alley ; and 9. Jenkin's Beauty Shop, which was owned by Rosa Jenkins that was located on Dick Taylor Street in Monroe, just to name a few.

"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : THE FORGOTTEN BLACK-OWNED SERVICE STATIONS in MONROE

"A People without  knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without Roots" -Marcus Mosiah Garvey Recently, I discovered that when the "MONROE CIVIC CENTER" was built, several Streets like "VICKSBURG STREET" disappeared into the oblivion! Interestingly, Vicksburg Street was located where the Monroe Civic Center now sits. Also, most Black People in Monroe, Louisiana don't remember that Vicksburg Street was located near a Negro Church named Zion Travelers Baptist Church. Furthermore, it was said that Monroe Colored High School Principal Madison J. Foster traveled Vicksburg Street weekly on his way to Zion Travelers Baptist Church, where he was a member as well as to get to Monroe Colored High School. The reason I mentioned Vicksburg Street was to show everyone how streets, people, and other places that use to be here in Monroe...sadly, now have long been forgotten! Case in point, not long after the Monroe Civic Center was built in 1965, several Black-Owned Service Stations began springing up around Monroe. By 1972, there were "OVER 12 BLACK-OWNED SERVICE STATIONS" in the City of Monroe. Why, even Roosevelt Rankins, the former Dean of Students at Neville High School owned a Gulf Service Station that was located at 2501 Renwick Street. Furthermore, there were many other prominent Black Citizens who owned Service Stations in Monroe. For instance, there was Pendleton's Texaco Service Station, owned by Mr. Joseph Pendleton that was located at 1111 Desiard Street ; Willie T's Texaco Service Station that was located at 1205 Powell Ave, owned by Mr. Willie T ; William Conley's Texaco Service Station that was located at 1812 Desiard Street, owned by Mr. William Conley ; Winter's & Nelson's Service Station that was located in Lincoln Park, on Burg Jones Lane, owned by Elijah Nelson & Mac Winters, and ran by Mrs. Annie Burrell ; Abram's Billups Service Station that was located on Burg Jones Lane, owned by Mr. Abram, Burton's Service Station that was located at 825 Atkinson Street, owned by Martille Burton ; and Dunn's Skelly Service Station that was located at 2000 Texas Avenue, owned by Mr. Columbus Dunn, just to name a few! In closing, I would like to admonish the Black Citizens in Monroe to be fervent in their efforts to teach our Black Children about the history and accomplishments of our local Black Pioneers, for they were the ones who helped paved the way for Black People living in Monroe today!