Start Date: Aug 16, 2023
End Date: Aug 16, 2023
From: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Free Event | Space is limited to 30 people (first come, first serve) | Option to attend virtually via facebook.com/epmuseumofhistory - Join us for a special Merienda Talk at Estine Eastside Barbershop!
*Note: This event is offsite at 106 N Piedras St. Free street parking is available along Alameda, Piedras, and Frutas.
Barbering and cosmetology were some of the earliest careers open to African Americans and were therefore among the first pathways for building wealth and businesses within Black communities—the most notable early example being Madam CJ Walker, the first ever self-made woman millionaire, who created an empire of hair and beauty products for Black women. Across the United States, barbers and beauticians were highly respected members of society, often profiled in local papers alongside lawyers and doctors. Through this, barbershops and beauty salons became important social spaces, serving not just as a place for a haircut but as a place to gather, share, and build community.
This Merienda Talk will focus on barbershops and beauty salons in El Paso: how they have evolved over time, what it means to pursue a career in these fields, and why these spaces are important within a larger cultural and historic context. Barbers Estine Davis and Hubert Scales as well as cosmetologist Yvonne Stockley will share from their own decades-long experiences in El Paso in a conversation moderated by artist Angie Michelle.
Please note that unlike other Merienda Talks, this talk will take place at Estine Eastside Barbershop (106 N Piedras St), which closed to the public last fall after its longtime proprietor, Ms. Estine Davis, retired. Estine Eastside Barbershop represented the last remaining business in what was once the heart of El Paso’s Black commercial corridor.
With free refreshments. Seating is first-come, first-serve.
About the Speakers:
+ Ms. Estine Davis began working at what would eventually become Estine Eastside Barbershop in 1959. During her seven decades of work, she cut the hair of Little Richard, the Harlem Globetrotters, Dana Pittard, Ron Stallworth, Chief Greg Allan, Marc Carter, Nolan Richardson, and countless servicemen stationed at Ft. Bliss, and railroad workers. Her work ethic and service to her community has been revered by many.
+ Ms. Yvonne Stockley is born and raised in El Paso, a beautician since 1990, and a proud zebra.
+ Born and raised in El Paso, Mr. Hubert Scales has been barbering since 1970 and operating Turning Headz N Scales Place Beauty & Barber Salon for the last 20 years.
About the Moderator:
Angie Barraza is a local artist for over 20 years in El Paso who also illustrates coloring books that often highlight Black hair cultures.
About the Exhibit:
“Still We Rise: El Paso’s Black Experience” highlights the vibrant history of El Paso’s Black community in the decades leading up to and following desegregation. Tracing back to the first documented African American individuals in El Paso, this exhibition highlights generations of Afro descendants’ contributions to the region as they built businesses, homes, and neighborhoods during slavery, Jim Crow era, and beyond. Based in the testimonies and oral histories of community, “Still We Rise” aims to showcase the joy and accomplishments of those who call El Paso home.
The “Still We Rise: El Paso’s Black Experience” exhibition is on display through January 13, 2024.
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This program is made possible through generous support from the Stern Foundation.
