Let us journey back to the winter of 1958 when my grandfather William Bryant came home to his loving wife after another hard day’s work as a gas-line repairman for the Philadelphia Gas Company.
His clothes were soiled, filled with deep oil stains, and spotted with countless patches of dry sweat. He would politely ask my grandmother to sit down to join him at the kitchen table. Once seated, Elizabeth took notice of her husband’s strong and callous hands holding a lease, a business plan, and cash that he had withdrawn from the bank earlier that day. He looked her straight in her beautiful brown eyes and told her that he had just quit the Gas Company and that he would be soon opening Bill’s Barbershop. The rest is history!
Many people, including close family members and friends, said that William Bryant was insane to walk away from the gas company. After all, even in 2024, working for PGW is still considered a stable and decent-paying job for a Black man or woman. So, one can only imagine what a job like that meant to a Black family over (66) years ago. One of the daily occurrences that fueled his decision was how degrading he felt when white foremen and supervisors would peer down on him as he would labor in the deep, dark, dug-out trenches of Philadelphia’s old streets.
So in 1958, with fortitude, sacrifice, vision, and support from his wife, William Bryant ‘Brother Bill’ opened Bill’s Barbershop at 259 South 52nd Street, between Locust and Spruce, an area that would grow to be known as the ‘Strip!’
Not only did Bill Bryant embrace the role of a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, but during his lifetime and career, he would serve as the President of The Associated Master Barbers and Beauticians of Pennsylvania and a ranking member of the Black Barbers and Beauticians Association. He was also an Ordained Minister at St. Marks Baptist Church and held prestigious posts, such as the Grand Master of Keystone Masonic Grand Lodge, Eminent Commander, and Grand Patron of the Knights Templar of the United States and Canada.
Long-time resident Mr. Samuel Wilkins said, “Brother Bill was a very wise, generous, kind-hearted and patient man. He always had positive things to say that would uplift your spirit and give you aspiration to set your goals, no matter what obstacles stood in your way.”
Since 1958, the eyes that peered through the huge window from the outside looking in were always greeted with a serene and harmonious environment.
At Bill’s Barbershop, clients would always be greeted with a humble “hello,” they never had to worry about violence, robberies, or heated arguments. It was a respected, warm, and safe place where even a grandmother could comfortably sit and wait while her two grandsons received sharp haircuts.
THE STRIP
The 52nd Street Renaissance Era was an unforgettable and historical time period. Bill’s Barbershop stood right in the center during the genesis of West Philadelphia’s Great Black Commerce.
During the late 60s and early 70s, ‘The Strip’ on 52nd Street was a place of Black grandeur and upheld the principles of Ujima and Ujamaa. Many working-class Blacks were financially stable, which included a large percentage of employed Black fathers. On the weekends, Black couples could be seen proudly strolling arm in arm, wearing the latest style clothing and sporting the most admired and popular fashions.
The Strip would be congested with screeching taxis picking up and dropping off patrons. Every top-notch Black celebrity and musician on the East Coast found their way to the entertainment capital of West Philadelphia.
The Strip had five (5) movie theaters, bakeries, restaurants, doctor offices, hat stores, clothing stores, shoe stores, shoe repair shops, jewelry stores, hotels, grocery stores, photography shops, insurance agencies, furniture stores, funeral homes, butcher shops, dentist and live jazz clubs.
Punchey’s Seafood and amazing nightclubs like The Aqua Lounge, The Red Rooster, and Mr. Silk’s-Gus Lacey’s Third Base Lounge were all very popular attractions and a stone’s throw from Bill’s Barbershop. The Strip would also be home to many African-centered and community-based organizations that served and protected the community. The West Philadelphia chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self-defense was headquartered at 52nd and Chestnut.
Baba Khabyr Hadas is a historian, author, and teacher of Black/African History and Culture. Hadas is a student of Pan-African nationalism and the Director of M.G.A.H.F-Marcus Garvey Archive and History Foundation. khabyrhadas@gmail.com 267-531-8789.
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