Beauticians and the Civil Rights Movement

(L to R) Mamie Stewart Love Wallace, Annie Townsend Brewster, and Bernice Smith.

In the 1920s, Mamie Stewart, Annie Townsend, and Bernice Smith were born in Benton, La, where they grew up learning that not all citizens in America were given equal rights. Little did they know that a century later, they would still be remembered and talked about for their never-ending pursuit for equal rights and reconciliation between races.

These three girls grew up to become successful business owners, civic leaders, and civil rights activists. Stewart, better known today as Mamie Love Wallace, founded the Modern Beauty Shop on Milam Street in the business district of the old Allendale neighborhood in Shreveport. Townsend, better known as Ann Brewster, was the co-owner. Later, Smith went to cosmetology school and went to work at Modern Beauty Shop.

These women were more than just beauticians. They were entrepreneurs, leaders, activists, and freedom fighters. Being self-employed, the women could be more active in fighting for civil rights than if they had been in the employ of another. They did not have to fear losing their jobs if they were found to be involved in any activities to advance equal rights.

In an interview, Wallace explained that her mother was a civil rights worker whose involvement in the movement got her interested. Her mother was a teacher, and many of her siblings also became teachers, but Wallace saw how the fear of losing your job hindered the work that needed to be done, which is why she became a beautician.

As an officer of the Louisiana state beauticians Wallace attended the National Beauticians' Convention in New Orleans in 1958. It was at this convention where Wallace met Martin Luther King Jr. for the first time. King spoke to the beauticians about the advantages they had as self-employed people and how they could support the civil rights movement.

A few months later, King made his first visit to Shreveport, where he spoke at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference at Galilee Baptist Church. The fear of violent repercussions made most churches afraid to open their doors to King, but Wallace's brother, the Rev. Jessie Taylor Stewart, was the pastor of Galilee Baptist Church, and he was not afraid.

The newspapers would not print the announcement of his scheduled visit, so flyers were made and distributed at barbershops and beauty salons like the Modern Beauty Shop. The majority of people in attendance besides the usual congregants were barbers, beauticians, and ministers. Again, those not self-employed were afraid to lose their jobs, and they often avoided taking any chances.

The Modern Beauty Shop, like so many, became a place for strategy meetings and education about the movement. It also served to provide a safe place for community members to communicate about issues and events. These women talked to their clients about the importance of being an informed participant in the voting process. If they were not registered to vote, they would be educated on the literacy test and provided with voter registration forms.

All three beauticians were known for their participation in countless voter registration drives, marches, sit-ins, and other non-violent protests. Smith was among the plaintiffs in the civil rights lawsuit that helped to desegregate Caddo Parish Schools, and her daughter, Brenda, was the first black student to integrate at Byrd High School. Wallace was a plaintiff in a lawsuit to integrate restaurants and was one of the first black people to eat at Woolworth's diner after integration.

Brewster was especially outspoken about the need for justice and was known for being arrested for protests that she was not in attendance. When students demonstrated at Booker T. Washington High School, police officers showed up at the salon to arrest her, and when she explained that she was not there, the police said, "her name was mentioned." Brewster opened her home for NAACP meetings and local gatherings of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. King shared his vision with a group of like-minded people in her Allendale home. She also provided food and shelter for freedom riders that came through town.

These women cared about people, and they were passionate about fixing the injustices they faced. They fought and risked their lives to make a better world for themselves and future generations. They were instrumental in changing the course of black Americans' civil rights in the local community.

To learn more about black history in Bossier Parish, visit the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center, 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City. Whether you want to know about local history or research your family history, we are here to help. Can't come in, call 318-746-7717 or email history-center@bossierlibrary.org with your request.

By: Amy Robertson

This Month In Bossier Parish History

 October: Through the Years

October 2020: High School Homecoming season begins! 

 Please enjoy the high school Homecoming photos from our parish. 

1990-91: Airline High School
Homecoming Court

1953: Haughton High School 
Homecoming Court

1980: Parkway High School 
Homecoming Queen and King

1945: Bossier High School 
Homecoming Court

Oct. 6, 1920: Since the passing of the 19th Amendment, 161 women for Bossier Parish had register to vote. Mary Bixler from Plain Dealing was the first woman to register in this parish.  Do you have an ancestor that was on the list of the 161 women to register? Contact us via message, email, or phone and we can look on the list for you. 

Bossier Banner: Oct.6, 1920

1900: Vashti Applewhite
0000.003.043 Pattillo Collection

1880's: Lillian Stinson Carter
2000.045.004 Shaver Collection

c.1900's:  "The Lawrence Sisters"
Hattie, Emma, Katie and Eva

Oct. 16. 1920: Weekly news from 100 years ago.

· Allendale store and resident  was destroyed by fire

Bossier Banner

  

Harvey Arnold 
1999.127.047B Jennings Collection

· Miss Athlene Cornish left to take charge of the Alden Bridge school

Bossier Banner

1936-1937 Bossier School Faculty: 
Athlene Cornish is on the 2nd row, 
6th from the right
2001.052.097 Saucier Collection

· Jim Giles been working on the roads

Bossier Banner

c.1900's: Road Crew Camp
0000.004.076 Scanland Collection

· J.A., Kate and Lucille Edwards returned home from Shreveport.

Bossier Banner

James A. Edwards Sr.,
Kate Carter Edwards,
and James A. Edwards Jr.
2009.044.006 Beekman Collection

Oct. 31, 2020: Happy Halloween! 

Please enjoy the photos relating to Halloween. 

Bossier Press: Oct.27, 1977

The Shreveport Journal: Oct.26, 1944

Bossier City Mothers Club.
Women dressed in costunes
1999.044.038-2 Pace Collection

1983: Preschool Halloween Party at
the Bossier Parish Libraries 
Central Branch
2020.001.0181

 

Grace H. Larkin: A Woman's Rise

On this day in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was certified, granting women the right to vote. The culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women formal beginnings dating back to 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment and calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.

The roles and rights of women in American society have changed over the centuries. The following article titled ‘Woman’s Rise,’ appeared in The Bossier Banner on Apr. 2, 1931, and it elaborates on some of the changes being seen right here in Bossier Parish with having just elected their first woman to the office of Clerk of Court.

“Probably a great many women in Bossier Parish are elated over woman’s rise to the position in national affairs she has attained in a very few years. For a long period of time women did not wield any influence in this nation, that is as voters or office-holders. Now, however, women are serving the nation in many places of responsibility, and are exercising their right to vote with telling effect.

Grace H. Larkin C. 1931.
Source: The Bossier Banner

“Here in Bossier Parish we have one of our first major office-holders, from the ranks of the women voters. She is Miss Grace H. Larkin, Clerk of Court. The voters showed no hesitancy in elevating her to this position of trust, although it was not many years ago that scores of people, in this very section, were bitterly opposed to the idea of giving women the right to vote.

“For those Bossier Parish people who now take women’s rights for granted, we might say that for nearly one hundred years after the Declaration of Independence no women were employed by the Government. This is shown in a recent statement by the president of the Civil Service Commission.

“The first law permitting the employment of women as clerks in Federal Government offices was passed during 1870. Today more than 28,000 women are employed in such offices, in Washington alone, and nearly 60,000 more are employed outside of the capital city.

“Women are being appointed to such government positions as bacteriologist, biologist, botanist, chemist, economist, educationist, patent examiner, pharmacologist, physicist, statistician, zoologist and technologists of various kinds. As is well known, many women hold postmasterships.

“The employment of women in private business has shown a steady increase also, the number of women wage-earners at present being nearly ten million.

“Whether this increasing activity of women in industry, business and the professions is an indication of an improved civilization depends upon one’s viewpoint. However that may be, women have shown their ability to engage successfully in nearly every vocation under the sun, and that they will continue to do so cannot be doubted.”

Larkin’s long career with the Bossier Parish Clerks office began in 1903 when Beverly A. Kelly, Clerk of Court, employed her as his assistant. Then in 1914, James M. Henderson became the Clerk of Court, and he kept her on. She was appointed Chief Deputy with the approval of Judge John N. Sandlin in 1920.

On Jan. 17, 1931, Judge J. F. McInnis appointed Larkin as ad interim Clerk of Court pending a special election to name the successor to the late James M. Henderson, who served as the clerk for the past 16 years before his death. In a special election held on Feb. 24th, Larkin defeated State Senator V.V. Whittington with 1326 votes to his 870.

Then, in the general election of 1932, she was re-elected without opposition after her opponent Mr. J. M. Emmons, withdrew his candidacy. After being defeated in the 1936 general election and thirty-three years serving the Bossier Parish Clerk office, Larkin retired.

Larkin joined the ranks of “first” in women’s equality, through her hard work and devotion in her career and to the community she served. Not only was she the first woman Clerk of Court in Bossier Parish, but she was also the first in Louisiana. And as one of the first women in Bossier Parish that registered to vote in 1920 when the 19th Amendment was certified, Larkin never took her right to vote for granted. 

To learn more about the women of Bossier Parish, visit the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City. Or, contact us by email at history-center@bossierlibrary.org or by phone (318) 746-7717.

By: Amy Robertson

Remembering Clara Ford Davis, Voting Rights Advocate

Clara Ford Davis, Feb. 20, 2006.
Photographer: Regi Butvydas
Clara Davis collection: 2012.021.001

March is Women’s History Month, and this year marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” We are also celebrating the 150th anniversary of the 15th Amendment, which states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

In honor of Women’s History Month and celebration of these two Amendments, this writer would like to remember Clara Ford Davis for her outstanding service to the Bossier Parish community as an advocate for voting rights and human rights.

Davis was of voting age during a time when African Americans were prevented from registering to vote in Bossier Parish. In 1952, the Bossier Parish Registrar of Voters was issued an injunction by the U.S. Courts for violating the constitutional rights of the plaintiffs in the case. During the lawsuit, it was revealed that out of the 13,912 African Americans living in Bossier Parish at that time, there were none registered to vote. And for the 31 years that the Registrar of Voters had been in office thus far, she “employed, ‘consistent and patent discrimination,’” according to Judge Gaston L. Porterie, who presided over the case.

In the following Shreveport Times article written by Harry Thomas, which appeared in Nov. 26, 1997 issue, Davis shares her experience of registering to vote in Bossier Parish in 1955, three years after the injunction.

“More than four decades have passed since Clara Davis and her fellow voting rights workers walked boldly into the Bossier Parish Courthouse to have their names placed on voter registration rolls.

“Davis, who today works as Bossier voter poll commissioner, said she and members of the Bossier Parish Voters League were among the first people to register to vote during 1955.

“’ I remember it was about four of us that went to Benton to vote,’ Davis said. ‘Before we went, we had to practice how to answer the questions they would give us.

“’ We were told to sit on the floor. But that didn’t matter, we had God with us.’

“After becoming a registered voter, Davis said she did not quit fighting injustices against blacks in Bossier Parish. She said she wanted to help others become voters. ‘Things were tough back then. We took a lot of risk,’ Davis said. ‘I’ve always tried to make things better for people, I will never quit doing that.’

“In fact, Davis, who resides in Haughton, said she has dedicated her life to improving the quality of life for citizens in her community. She was a strong advocate for issues facing the defunct voters league, public education, NAACP and now the Bossier Parish Concerned Citizens group.

“Jerry Hawkins, president of the concerned citizens group, said Davis’ work as a community activist has impacted lives of citizens throughout the parish.

“’ She has been doing it for 45 years,’ Hawkins said. ‘She has been a dedicated public servant. She has never quit trying to serve this community.’

“Davis, who attends St. Paul CME church, raised six children with her husband, Shellie. In 1974, she began her work as a precinct commissioner.

“Today, Davis said her work with the concerned citizens group includes being an advocate for quality education, civil rights and encouraging others to become registered voters. She also wants to see more blacks become certified as voting poll workers.

“’ It just grieves my spirit when I see people not voting,’ she said. “I don’t understand why people will not register. We had to go through so much to vote. They don’t have to do that now.’

“John Jones, who was a charter member of the historical black voters league, said Davis is an unsung hero in voting rights and human rights in Bossier Parish.

“’ Whatever she gets, she really deserves it,’ Jones said. ‘She and I worked together for years. She has been a faithful leader in this community.”

To learn more about Clara Ford Davis and the many ways in which she gave back to the Bossier Parish community, visit the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center. And be sure to join us in welcoming special guest speaker Carolyn Jones as she presents “Beauty and the Ballot Box: Honoring Contributions of African-American Cosmetologists in the Voter Rights Movement” on Saturday, Mar. 14 at 2 p.m., in the History Center meeting room, 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City.

By: Amy Robertson