Funding for this program was provided by the Pennsylvania Public Television Network.

The network receives funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide public television for all Pennsylvanians and by viewers like you.

Thank you.

I'm Chris Moore, and this is a story about barbershop.

You know, this hair cut is developing to be, this might be the best hair cut I ever get it.

See.

You know what I am saying it is about style, tradition and what sometimes is an all too painful ritual.

I hate these They'll trump there.

It's about what men talk about when only men are around.

Here's the thing you can't have no standards on where or how you meet women.

I'm saying love don't have.

No.

You know what I'm saying?

Okay.

I'm gonna meet a girl at the library.

I'm gonna meet a girl at church.

Im gonna meet a girl.

Come on, Thats bold man You go to a club you go.

You might find your woman off a one night stand.

I'm sorry.

She might be right.

She might be like that.

Three things I love more.

Well, I ain't got all night, so I can't do much of that.

It's about looking your best.

You go back in the bag, you put the Murray's in, and you whack, whack, whack.

Put it back and make your hair go back.

And it gives you a little shine and stuff.

See, you guys are pretty every week.

So I say we gotta go get th nails and hair done every week.

Same way we gotta get our hair done every week.

It's about the thing that can happen in a barbershop.

You can get a haircut.

You can get your soul saved.

You can get a you can get mentored.

You can get spiritual advice.

She'll make that move up.

There you go.

At first, calm down Hey, come on, back up.

Down and slay, oh, man with braids.

Come to the barbershop and see what he's doing.

Shave them, got to be short.

That right there.

That's called the plain.

blowout.

That is the club.

Yeah.

Plain Blowout Oh, yeah.

Man, that little kid had it out so I had to use my creativity.

The locking down so he can get it.

hair cut.

Locking down.

They got to be here.

May I call they from out of town some time?

I need to get right straight up.

It's Friday.

Friday?

It's the weekend.

Everybody will look right.

Barbershops have always been an institution in the black community.

Black barbers were courted a status that may have seen beyond their real station in life.

In reality, black barbers were carrying on a tradition as old as man himself.

Archeological studies show crude forms of facial hair adornment among prehistoric peoples.

The swirling pole that let you know you found a barber barbershop started as a bloody cloth flapping from a pole in the wind.

The colors of the pole actually have a meaning the red and white for the blood and bandages, and the blue for the veins.

In time, barbering evolved from its association with the surgical arts to a service trade, especially for African-Americans after slavery.

In the case of Robert Vosburg of Pennsylvania, who used this perception to help smuggle runaway slaves to Canada through his Erie Barber shop, he passed on the barbering tradition to his son, Albert.

Times have changed, but the barber shops importance in the black community hasn't diminished.

They are and have always been, social centers where patrons could talk freely and the barbers could offer advice, camaraderie or just a sympathetic ear.

Many of the shops were popular hangouts and had other businesses associated with them, like Crystal Barber Shop, owne by longtime Pittsburgh numbers King Woogie Harris.

One of the modern day incarnations of those shops is Willie Tee's barber shop in the Pittsburgh neighborhood called Homewood.

William Thomas was know as the King of the tighten up.

Hey, let's tighten up tighten up I was trying run!

Hey!

What's up?

Hey!

What's happening, Mr.

T?

How you doin, man?

And though he's passed away since this footage was shot, his shop is a perfect example of a grand tradition.

You mean.

Yeah.

No, man, I saw you on the television.

No, no, Jack, I looked I started to call in again.

You know m like I did before.

At any time.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You want me to take your peeper off their from you?

All right.

Well, the barbershop is like the Like the hubbub, if you will, is the hubbub.

It's just like the center of communication.

I mean, I might know you here Im out in the hallway, cackling and laughing down there A rabbit can scared the rest.

You know, I said you got a towel.

Pretty big.

Why don't you knock somebody out for me really quick?

Willie Tees barbers like Steve, also equipped to deal with a little more.

Sometimes we have the ones that come in here and like to fight a lot.

Fight the barber or not to get a haircut, but otherwise than that, it's okay.

oh yeah.

Man, that little kid, he had it So I had to use my creativity to lock him down so he can get a hair cut.

Yeah.

The lock down.

Locking down.

You know we got a lot of different things that you could do her in the barber shop outside of.

Just give you a haircut.

Now, there's, this council men's.

There's there's this policeman that come in here.

There's othe a whole lot of other facilities judges that come in here, you know what I mean?

I just, you know, then I want to come and get a grass roots touch.

My name is Doctor Michael Fussell.

I'm from, Macon, Georgia.

You know, my residency up here at, Mercy Hospital and physical medicine and rehabilitation, the first things we had to do when you came over, as a young man going into medical school was find a good barbershop.

Oh, yeah.

I went to a couple before I got the this one, went through a couple barbers here from Old man's 80, you know?

You know, it's all right.

Did you get a cameo back there behind me?

Okay.

You know, this its hard to find a good barber.

You know, somebody to cut it, like you ask.

You know, once you find somebody to cut it, and, you know you always stick with him, okay?

In the past.

Okay.

Thank you.

Sir.

How you been?

It's not too bad at school.

Taking the bad with the bad.

the bad with the bad If it wasn't for my woman, I never make it through this.

I was telling her that the other night.

Oh, I well, I mean, my woman, Im sorry.

Oh, man.

You woman.

Right.

I was telling my girl that, Ha ha ha ha.

Did you got the clippers?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Oh You right.

You want it anyway, I don't matter.

I just wanted it cool.

Hang tight, man, hang tight.

You sure you Bush just call me Oh.

Okay.

No, no, no, just, I'm trying to get the way thing, and, you know, we got I got Indians.

You want Oh, don't play around with him he hit the block and everybody take off.

Run!

It's the cops.

Cheese it.

In here to make me uncomfortable, I was glad.

Yeah, that's what I meant.

Been this.

Maybe I'm just not anybody else, but, man, you know, the the main thing that I like about it is just, well, making the money and then getting a chance to say, well, okay, I'm not taking away from that.

Come on.

You know, I mean, I didn't go downtow and try to buy an old building.

I didn't go with it, you know doing that, what do you call it?

Urban redevelopment, all those crazy.

Okay.

I came right here in the hood, right here on the corner.

Quality is much more than a barber.

Like the old barber shops that were surrounded by plenty of businesses.

Well, the cheese complex is constantly growing.

But what Willie Tees has a vision to help as well as make money.

That's why I call him my.

hero.

We when we.

When we love him too much.

But what we have here is like unisex single people, single men, single women.

Like, just trying to keep this up together.

This is one small.

It's like the most modern of equipment.

But you can come in and you can cook, you know, an unconventional avenue you could, heat your stuff up on a microwav oven.

It gives me a chance to giv something back to the community.

And that's always a good feeling its got a little What do you call it, pitfalls here and there, but nonetheless, you know, overall feels pretty good.

Feels.

And it feels real good when you come up and tell me I'm your hero.

So you can't beat that feeling.

This used to be a hustling, bustling, you know, neighborhood in there.

And I think it could be again, you know.

2448859 come to Willie Tees where the seats recline.

Yeah.

get a haircut.

Maybe get a she shine or bring your girl in for a brand new hair design.

4 first one 10 chairs.

You can test one Bring the family consistently.

We impress them for quality dependability.

7205 Frankstown.

Now, who are we?

Willie Tees Is that black enough for you?

On a saudade tree lined street on Pittsburgh's North side.

Fred Taits barbershop looks like a quiet oasis.

And inside, Fred does more than cut hair.

He counsels and conferenc laughs and talks and provides a refuge for friends and customers looking for a nice trim.

Some conversation, or just a good listener.

Yeah, with Fred, you ca basically, touch on any subject.

He's very versed in a lot of things.

So, plus he's a good counselo and especially a good listener.

Right.

So and he's like a fixture in the community, right.

That that gives you that downhome feeling when you come in.

And getting a good haircut.

Yeah.

On occasions, yeah, Fred Tait has been cutting hair for 43 years.

I do remember I was just cut at the house with these little razor blades The little razor blades again.

Shake them guys up man.

Straight to say yeah, yeah, yeah.

They'll double A's and when I get them they had nicks all on their heads man.

But you know what they were my practices hai they kept coming back for more I just I kept getting better and better.

Better and better.

And then all of a sudde they've got a pretty good hair c but they get messed up on the razor blade.

But they kept coming.

Put a little band aid up there, kept coming.

And at the Y, I got a little better, a little better.

Then I went up one.

Tait' barbershop used to be a hangout for a lot of the Steelers players.

Some still get their hair cut th Fred Taits shop is also a place where black men feel free to show black boys that fatherly discipline that many children may be missing.

It's amazing how.

There'll be families and families that or single parents.

Or they need to hav sons of them they will just drop off here at Fred.

And Fred, just tell him, say it's belted out.

I'm going to punch you in your head.

Razor strap.

A razor strap to a friend has no problem.

It's amazing.

They'll be cutting up with mom.

Come over to Fred's, and it' like they seen a divine light.

And I think that a lot of times in the black barbershop, you do get some type.

These young boys do get a little bit of discipline because not only, you know, they know Freds, not gonna heat him in the head with the strap or whatever.

Punch him in the head, but Fred is like now sit on down over there, sit on down, your mom will be back and he let them know that you know that they're love by people that don't even know whether it's like a soccer ball.

you know, rubbing up and down, squeezing over here like that.

And yeah, that's looks good.

It's good.

That looks good you got to put the Murrays in.

You go back in the back, you put the Murray's in and you whack, whack, whack.

Put it back and it makes your hair go bac and it gives you a little shine and stuff.

See, Fred teaches that sweet Fred's whack whack with the Murrays.

You got to have your Murray's.

This is Murray's from Detroit, Michigan, by way of Fred's.

So, you know, then it makes your hair go back here.

Now.

It has a great to.

Fred whack whack, okay.

Stop it.

I love you babe, okay.

Take care All right.

Mr.

Moore, always a pleasure to see you.

I'm athletic director of two Athletic association was down in Manchester.

Most of the kids that I hav are on some type of medication.

And the only thing the kids need is actually love and attention.

I'm on medication.

Well, I'm not talking.

I'm.

Shoot man.

You know?

So.

So be that off with this.

Please.

Yeah.

You think you can depend o I will make.

I'll let you cry.

No, no, please.

Yeah.

I want to see me.

No sauce.

Please.

Please.

Now believe.

Please don't cry.

I am not gonna make you cry for real.

Put this hot stuff on my mind that I had to come see the doctor.

I want to thank you lean in a little bit.

You breaking out.

I want you to cry now you cry.

He starts to break and cry See you cry.

I'm sorry.

It's always that type of talk.

Always this type of play.

Or.

You know what I mean?

Is the input that we have here and then the shop itself.

People do come to just to relax.

Some people come to, to to let things go and kick it for a while.

You know, some people want to hear what you got to say.

Some people don't hear anything you got to say.

They just want you to hear what they got to say.

And so, you know, you just try to give them what they want, you know?

And, but I think it works very very well because in five times where they, they're doing all talking and I'm doing a lot of listening, and I think it's, I think in most cases, most people don't want you to say them to them at all.

I just want to hear me out.

I'm gonna let the problem off, I'm gonna get this off my chest and leave it with you.

Oh, this is the hip hop barber shop.

I would like to say, I mean, Weather the shop in the city.

Weather shop, period.

Did you know to get the turntables in there, you know, say live music, hip hop, R&B all the time.

Good atmosphere, right?

On the college campuses.

It's the it is a hip hop barbershop.

The natural choice is a perfect combination of old schoo skills and cutting edge style.

That's what we do here you know, besides just haircuts or locks, braids is the natural choice of anything natural.

It's co-owned by Nate Mitchell, aka Nate the Fat Barber, who serves as barber, older brother, and king of the turntables.

I come here, and figured I got to spend 80% of my time in this place, so it has to be comfortable to me.

That's why I put the DJ booth in, you know what I mean?

That's.

I put the records up on the wall.

Make me feel that just something to look at.

Makes me feel good.

Like, you know, part of me, other than just the hair.

They got to be here.

May I call Nate from out of town some time?

I need to get right.

Straight up.

Call me from the airport.

I'm on my way.

this is every Friday ritual for me Every Friday for you and Nate I would fall out, man.

It's Friday.

Friday is the weekend.

Everybody will look great.

This had been a sunny day.

You would have been been able to enjoy the other half of the barber.

It's this side you don't see too much.

What you do is take a break from cutting and do what we call posted.

This is post.

Soul and tender the post is to catch every young tender that may walk up and down the street.

Theres no tender out here right now.

So we cannot post.

He's out of the way for a sunny day.

See what we face and get the idea what it's about.

Being as though this is like a post in vain.

So I'm going back inside because I'm wasting valuable post time.

I'm going back to inside.

And I've been worked in barbershops where we had, like, heated discussions on politics, women, religion, you know what I mean?

Sometimes we get into that here, but I play moderator and I tr to keep everything to a minimum because it just gets too much, you know?

I mean, especially when we get to start talking about, you know what I'm saying?

Women.

And in many black neighborhoods, a barber skills were often more important than whether or not he was licensed to practice.

in Johnstown, we found a man of character who also happens to be a character you guys doing All right.

Yeah, well, Deacon Sammy Lee Hart, Dea, as most people call him, knows everybody and everybody knows him.

Doctor ran him down, adopted him.

So we call him the world famous Dea.

Because I don't think there's not too many personalities like this in America.

You know, everywhere he goes, he stands out and people love him.

Whoa, look at him.

Everyone knows where to find Deacon Hart.

My Dea coming up.

Wow.

When this retired steelworker is not tending to his garden at home, he's in his on chair shop just off the kitchen.

Both gardening and cutting hair seem to be part of his birthright.

Come on.

Oh, hello.

How are you doing?

I on that.

I can see you.

All right?

Right.

Deacon Hart was born and raised in this house in Dawson, Georgia.

There were 23 of us.

I need to be grown.

Well, that's a lot of brothers and sisters.

With that many brothers and sisters.

Deacon Hart's father, a poor sharecropper, advised the brothers that one way to save on family expenses would be to cut each other's hair.

Would you say, the hardest person to please is honest customers.

The bald headed guy.

He wants the haircut, but he don't want you to cut.

No, no, that's it.

Hip hop.

Would you do it?

Yeah.

Oh.

Oh, yeah, Get off my chair.

All right.

Thank you.

You see, I tease them I'm blessed.

The every guy that cut hair.

The thing a hand.

I'm good.

Either way.

Theres no awful plays on the head for me.

Uncut fluid with my left hand.

Like why?

With my right hand?

They don't call him Deacon for nothing but a lifelong church member, Deacon Hart once sang with the gospel group The Sterling Echoes.

And he's not above holding church in his chair.

I've been gone, I've been talk to my show you wrong.

That's why you all the take in it all with you everywhere you go.

That's it.

That's all right.

Make somebody shout over here.

Yeah, that's all right.

Barbering has been good to you.

Well, no, no, Ive been good to barbering.

I love barbering, I love cutting hair of all of brothers that know how to cut hair.

I'm the only one.

keep it up because I ain't got time.

Let them take my cutting hand.

The number one.

You got to love cutting hair.

Not then number two.

You got to know how to cut hair, then number three.

You got to have a proper tool to cut hair with now.

Oh, All those three.

All right.

But if you do not hair that the love for people, if you do not have the patience, you can forget about the all other three.

Looks good.

I don't trust nobody.

I dont trust nobody.

Now, as you leave the money, there's one thing I don't know anything about.

Because I don't say no, man.

I don't take no money.

No money goes in my hand.

Now, if you wanna leave me some, I appreciate that.

May God bless you.

Deaco hart has never met a stranger.

No matter who comes to town he's ready to grab his clippers and go to work.

Members of the Harle Globetrotters have stopped by, gotten haircuts and left him a few souvenirs.

And they.

They left me a pair of shoes.

Now, I got the picture.

I wanted to go try to there, and, I have five of them come to get a haircut.

Yeah.

All right.

You know, he must be doing all right.

Come on.

All right, all right, all right, all right, all right.

Good to see you.

Nice day.

Dae.

So it is Stay like that.

Where you come here, get your haircut.

Cause he know what he doing, and I just come in, talk to him.

I could talk to him about the Lord and everything, and you all right, mama?

All right.

No negativity here.

Like I said, all these years we've been going and coming here.

There has never been any fights or anything like that.

So it's always a positive message.

And what's surprising to some of the most notorious guys that you can see may come into the door, but when they come into the door they come in here with respect.

All right, guys, over.

Okay.

You're welcome here.

Okay.

May God bless your son.

Okay?

Okay.

All right all right, everybody all right.

Hey.

How are you doing?

All right.

You good buddy?

What's up?

Even some of the downtow business owners have been coming to Deacon Hart for a haircut ever since they were kids.

He gives the best haircut in Johnstown.

He's the only person I go to to get my hair done, so I'm on my two year.

Well, there.

Your han finally do do it with your mind.

Well, they no device, no knowledge, no wisdom in the grave wherever I go.

So you do it now?

Might be bad time.

Champ Hall is one of those barbers that follows in the tradition of the vast burgs of Erie.

Located in Lancaster, PA.

He owns a shop and a barber school where others can learn about cutting hair and the independence such a skill can bring.

Ironically, all of this champ's shop and his barber school all started because of a bad hair day.

Well, I went to my barber and I was very displeased with the way he cut my hair.

And there were a pair of clippers sitting around the house, and my mother just used them to take the hair off my father's neck.

And so I picked him up and tried to correct what I didn't like about my haircut.

And then my mother put me in, barber school.

And at the time, I believe I was the youngest barber in the sTait.

I took it a step further and opened, beauty salon and then eventually to school.

One of the shops that champ open is just across town, and it's on the same street.

Right.

Temple Barber shop.

Remember that?

Because it's a continuing thread in this story, and we'll get back to it in a minute or two.

But my beginnings was in the basement, and I can remembe some of the guys coming in and, and making fun of me saying, I remember when you had a crack mirror on the wall.

Well, I think the barbershop is a place that you can come fellowship, congregate with the brethren.

You're like an ear to the community.

There are so many people that come and and they share some reall intimate and personal stories, and they expect you to be, their confidence.

And that basically what it is, you know, you get it off, you just, you know, onc you walk out of here, you look, you got a fresh haircut, you're feeling good.

You know, you got some things off your mind.

Give him something.

hot We go Saturday and that's nothing there.

Since the barbers are students, chance cuts are affordable, which helps to give the school its family friendly vibe.

You're getting a haircut today?

Yeah, yeah.

You.

You like it?

Haircut?

Yeah.

According to Tahisha Henry, a single mother, a barber shop like Champs is a good place to bring her son.

Bring my son the Champs.

Because the surroundings.

I like my son to be in an environment wher there's not a lot of problems.

And past barber shops, I've had a lot of problems with the language.

Being a single mother also is very affordable here at Champs.

And I've known Champs since I was 15.

Also.

He's a great guy.

Champs is a good place for hi to see other male role models.

Yeah.

Male rod, black male role model.

Well, he's a good black male role model for my son.

Excuse me?

Your man in the chair.

You.

You can wear it with me, I said it, we could give him a little trouble.

Well, with Champ down and I'm okay with Champ.

Walks off and you know my story.

When we walk the house, you get to stay.

Well, if a grown man wants his preferred barber next to him, imagine what that first haircut let's do right now.

He's going to do.

She wants to keep the braids, right.

So we're going to just cut the braids off.

And, find it bag to put them in.

Okay.

You know, I just like that shot.

I'll let you do it.

I'll grab a bag.

Just take when you sit down and behave.

And we got to Mcdonald's come across.

Cut one side first and show it to see if she wants a closer.

Okay.

All right, baby okay, okay.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay.

Hey.

Oh.

Yeah.

Oh, you don't look like my baby.

Oh, you dont.

Oh, what, you don't recognize him?

Yeah.

Oh, you looking good.

So.

Yeah, I think it's important.

Important that the younger generation see someone of color in this type of position and in entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency, I think that it plants a seed in their mind.

And my philosophy is, if, I teach the children because I speak a a lot of the schools in the area to become self-sufficient why work for the restaurant, when you can own the restaurant and if I teach, if I teach you how to catch a fish it will feed you for a lifetime.

But if I give you a fish an it feeds you just for the day.

And so I teach to be self-sufficient.

The ultimate goal for each one of my students is to own their own shop.

Maybe start off in a shop, but eventually to open your own.

Just like Tam taught me, the business started here when I was 17 years old.

You know, I started here when I was 17 years old.

And, you know, you gave the opportunity to get my barber's license and all that good stuff.

And I look where I'm at today.

Take the chance.

Remember that continuing threat?

Well, here it is again.

Barbers tend to pass on certain traditions to their proteges, not just the finer points of the craft, but the independence that comes with them.

And now Flacco, having learned from Champ Hall, is only doing what comes naturally.

I gotta gave m you know I'm in the gifted cut.

You know I just passed that down a different kids man I said achievement you know just for me not only not only having privilege to cut hair, but passing it down to different kids like John, you know, I mean, I'd rather have him here, cut here at 16 and be on the street at 16.

You know I've had to watch over him here and teach him the business instead of going to school and learning business and paying extra money.

I could teach him here.

In addition to owning the barber school, Champ Hall owns this shop located just a mile up the street.

George F. Valentine manages the shop and is doing so well that at the ripe old age of 23, he may soon become the owner because many barber shops bars nowadays well, each corner.

Barber shop and bar.

You know you got to.

Well, what is it about a barber shop to make it so far?

Is it?

Is.

It is more, I guess, since we ain't back in the old days that we grown them blowouts and as curls and perms just gotta look pretty good.

Pieces need a shop boy gather pretty every week or so.

This way, same way.

They gotta go get their nails and hair done every week.

Same way we gotta get our hair done every week.

Here at Champs.

Most barbers have a style and even a signature.

And in this shop, no matter who's doing the cutting, a good haircut is called extra crispy.

We call it crispy Yeah.

Yes.

Right.

That's right.

And well Chris crispy is up there beyond the shape of they like the colonel you know.

Come on.

What is it Colonel Sanders the crispy KFC.

Not me.

Anybody ever give me an extra crispy?

Nah, actually some people.

Come out.

Come in here at your door.

We just make them extra crispy.

Oh, so crispy is good.

Yeah.

Good.

Real.

Okay, Marlo, you got a signature you put on yours, too?

I don't do that.

You know, I'm always good, man.

I like dark cuts.

I'll put a little lines here and there.

And that's it.

That's it.

Yeah People know that's a Marlo cut.

Just they ask because, my joints look like helmets, man.

Like somebody stuck it on your head.

That's that's that's it, that's it.

Extra crispy.

Extra crispy.

Look like somebody stuck it on your head.

Like somebody just bam!

I don't do nothing.

That design disaster.

I was looking a little dull myself, so I ask Marlo to fry me up.

Then I start cutting.

When I was in eighth grade, seventh grade just decided to pick up hai clippers and start cutting club.

Star bringing in a haircut like this.

They started paying me.

When I started paying me, I was like, yeah, I'll make the money for this all right, let's take this kinda series.

Thank you.

I appreciate them, that looks good man.

You sure you didnt put diamond in there for me?

How you made my hair grow back.

What?

Little bit.

Is that the helmet?

that you?

Yeah.

I'm going to call it the manipul the manipulator.

Unless the hair.

That's all right with me.

All right.

Oh, is this crispy?

Is this what you call crispy?

Okay.

All right.

You can't even see that far.

How you crisp.

This is crispy.

Crispy.

Not extra crispy, but just crispy I don't know like a princess cut down.

Visible setting, a visible setting.

Is that it?

Yeah.

All right.

Goodbye.

Take care.

Have a good day.

Flacco and his squad don't mind being role models since someone cared enough to believe in them and show them a better way.

Now they find it an honor when kids look up to them and take time to listen to their advice.

This immortal is our new car.

Basically, we're like role models for a lot of younger kids.

A lot of kids come her because they feel comfortable.

They feel like we're we can reach them because a lot of parents want them to do different things.

But we came, you know, we came from the bottom two, just like them driving the car I had to day wasn't just given to me, you know, I had to work hard for that.

And kids can relate to that.

Flacco doesn't just talk about being a role model and giving back to the community.

Come on, hurry up.

Hey, why are you up there?

Oh, that's cool, that's cool.

He does something about i and sponsors a basketball team providing a safe and fun place during the summer months.

It's like giving back.

Almost given a lot of kids somewhere to go.

Okay so this clock coming up every, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

You going to go to the park, watch him play basketball.

You know, watch watc some of the finest ball players in Lancaster.

Is this your team.

Yeah How have you been?

Crazy, man.

Yeah, why you got gray shirt on man.

I'm going on my retirement, You dont choose it, This is, like, given to you.

I basically, you know, I was like, it's crazy.

Like, I mean, when I, when I was cutting in the basement and expect to be where I'm at now, you know, just just cutting hair just to get a little bit of money to buy some more equipment or buy some clothes for school and stuff like that, help my mom out.

And it's, you know, look where I'm at now.

I just passed it down.

You know, I'm a big role model to a lot of kids And that's a bi thing.

You know.

There you go.

All right.

If passing it on means something, then there's a man in Reading named Charlie Haynes who has passed his skills and knowledge on to over a thousand people.

My dad started coming her when we was living in Alabama, and, I used to watch hi cut, and I used to always tell my dad it had something I would never do.

Charlie's been cutting hair since March of 1956 and is the author of two books, Making a Difference and how I Became a Nut and Made a million written to help spread Charlie's considerabl expertise in barbering and life.

Jarvis Robbins is a student at Haynes Barber School, and he understands the importance of what Mr.

Haynes is trying to pass on.

I learned a lot from, Mr.

Haynes, not just barbering, you know, real estate, using the real estate, a lot of other things.

So, you know, it's, it's hard to find a positive somebody positive that's doing something with these.

So.

And, you know, Mr.

Haynes been doing it for years.

Everybody in Reading know it.

So when, when you see somebody that got a lot going on for you'd send a one, mimic, you know what I mean?

Follow me footsteps.

Know sometimes these what he's doing is putting his chair called home.

every one is tore up the proper man off putting a chair called home.

You don't want to get in a chair.

In here on this person.

Period.

Boys, you can go back as there were people on his that have been somewhat of day, adorn people's hair and make them look good and make them smell good and so forth.

And that's what barbering is about.

Well, they did all the blur.

It led into tooth pulling and those types of things.

And that's why you have the barber poll.

Red, white and blue blue stand for the veins or red stand for the blue and white stand for the bandages that they used to take and put around when they would do some bloodletting.

We're going to have him to us one and a half on the top agains And this would bring all of those, little Hobson things out.

You won't see those in the hair when he's finished, you know, like the, the guy for the barber.

He leads by example.

You know, he doesn't really.

He doesn't really talk much but he doesn't have to say much.

And with him, it's like, you can't, I will.

I know personally myself, I can com never complain about being tired or because he never complains, you know.

Yeah, he's 70 years old, so how can I complain about being so?

He's doing the same thing and he's here before me and stays later than me.

So I try to model myself after that.

As far as work, like they said work ethic two you have a two, take your number two and put i on top four and go against it.

And that work ethic emphasizes knowledge and safety.

The first thing you want to d is in your line learning bobbin is to do everything in your power to protect your customer or your client.

We use some implements in here that are very, very deadly.

We use a razor and I use a straight razor.

And, those things are so sharp that they can split a hair.

And if you have no knowledge of those bones and the face, the muscles, the tissues, you can easily do something and cut someone, that it's would be almost impossible for you to stop that bleeding before you could get them to a hospital.

This will be a free hand.

This will be a reverse freehand.

If I was over here, you close a razor when you walk around so you don't trip or cut some of the fibers over here.

This will be the back backing this movement here.

Back to the freehand.

Revers freehand or reverse back hand.

If I was going behind his ear as I was doing earlier, we asked Mr.

Haynes to give us a tour of his barbering school.

The main area that we train the school agai is is known as the clinic area.

We have 20 chairs.

Sometime you come here an you see all the chairs are full.

Sometimes you don't because it's a stood.

We're going to go upstairs and I'm going to show you some of the area up here.

The thing about this area these guys been couldn't have 10, 15 years, but they come here from another country, from Colombia, from Puerto Rico, from Dominican Republic.

They have no license.

So they can't come here and just start working in a barber shop.

So what they they do, they come here until they can get the knowledge of English, where they can have somebody to show them in English, had to pass the examination.

And once they do that, then they're able to go out and start working in the barber shop.

This is the area here that was say that we had to separate.

And we've just put two girls.

The girls, not only do they do ladies hair, but they also do the guys hair.

But but it being separated it give them privacy that they can feel free to do what they want to do without anybody seeing that.

No, no, no, you can't do that.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the clinic area, business was slow, s the barbers took a break to talk about what barbers talk abou when they're not cutting hair.

We talk about everything.

I went on a retreat, last week, and I told the guys what I was taking.

I told them I was taking a queen size air masseuse.

Right.

A fan guy.

And all these guys told me he's not on a story.

I told them I got a chanc to go to camp, took some work.

Now, if you're going on camping trip, he's taking a TV, a fan, an electric frying pan, a queen size air matress.

He's taking orders on a camping trip.

Now, when you go, can.

I told her all you supposed to take is a blanket and some fishhooks.

You know, that's real camping.

I was trying to bring him out of that.

That that boy scout mentality.

See, today when you go camping today you take a DVD player out there.

You take that to dry out there.

He's got Mcdonalds out there in the woods to a walk up window, and some say he's He got all the luxuries, a home.

And he's go camping.

See, one thing he don't understand.

I spent four and a half years in the Marine Corps, and I made it myself.

A promise.

If I ever go camping outside the Marine Corps, I will have all the luxury.

See, you understand being in the military and, like, having a backpack and, like carryin that everywhere you had to go.

Okay, now, when you go on camping trips after being a marine Corps, you go out there like you want to live.

It's easy to call and order Chinese food and salmon.

Number nine, you know, it's a compromise of sweet and sour chicken.

and some shrimp lo mein It's that kind of humor that has helped to make the barbershop such a haven for so many men in black communities.

It's an institution, but one where they can chill, kid each othe and talk about almost anything.

Thank barbershops.

Does barber school as an institution is more or less a hub for the community?

The city of Reading in thi neighborhood, the barber shops, especially in black communities and the beauty salons, they're about the only thing left that someone else don't look like.

Those that have come int our neighborhood and taken over.

And when the people come, now that they know that most people know that you ar there, that you own the barber shop, that you've been there it's an institution for them.

They feel free.

They feel at home.

They feel that nobody want to bother them.

They feel safe.

Not all black barbe shops are located in the hood.

Some are decidedly upscal and located in downtown business districts like Maxamilion's Gentlemen's Quarters, Barber Parlor in Philadelphia.

Maxamilion's is in the 2200 block of Chestnut Street, a pricing piece of real estate with fees to match.

But Max's customers say he's worth it.

I like paying for the convenience of being able to come here.

I work literally like three blocks away from here.

So for me, you know, am I going to pay more to, you know, go two miles down the road?

You know what I mean?

I enjoy this, I enjoy really dealing with a lot of people.

and it's very spiritual too, you know what I mean?

Because not too many peopl let you come into they've being into this place, especially men, and allow you to feel good.

Like I could touch him and allow he'll allow me to let him feel good.

Not too many men won't do that.

My whole thing is he's always pretty punctual, you know, on time.

I have a pretty hectic schedule, so.

Hey, you know, is friendly guy like, I, you know, I have a good time when I come in here.

It's not like, uncomfortable or anything.

Most guys, onc you get to just get up on them, press up on them.

They have a problem with that.

Back about me.

You know me, you know?

Must be speaking of space.

Max's location is ideally suited for window shopping on both sides of what he calls his hig definition window on the world.

There's a lot of things going in the window, man.

You know, it's a blessing.

You know I get a chance to market myself without actually spending money.

I save almost $10,00 a year, but just having to win.

But just just waving, just waving it come in.

Just for a wave.

They call this window eye candy.

You know, it's it's it's a bit much.

And you you had to be careful.

When is when of course you do have to go home and get prayed up some.

I had to prayed up some time.

I look at this one.

I had to be careful myself because the window can get you in trouble with different people and women coming by and you know, you just have to be very careful.

Very careful.

My shop.

I try to keep it honorable when people come in that they can bring their mobile door to grandmother.

In fact, many women do come to Maxamilion's to get their hair done, like Mary Martin Ford.

It's really, you know, nice.

Because too often you go in shop that aren't up to snuff.

I would never, ever go back to that.

But this place is nice.

It's clean, it's bright.

You know, you don't have to be afraid to be here, you know, not to look me and see what might come out of, you know, like I'm a man most of the time.

The Germa here, they just seem to have more of a flair for, you know, being in style and do what I particularly like personally.

Yeah.

I mean, not t say that some women aren't good.

There are some women who are very good, but for myself personally, I prefer a man.

I've had more success with men for barbers.

Yeah, they don't have to have fear of it.

They being the shame of being in here any time.

You know, I don't like no cursing, no cell phone, none of that.

No hoochie music, no hoochie videos.

We don't had it up in here.

We dont have them All right.

I came to the right place.

Ken Finkleman is a Pennsylvania National Guardsman who's getting ready to ship out for his second tour in Iraq.

He could get a military style haircut much more cheaply on the base, but he comes to Max's.

I com here for that, for the haircut.

Once I leave here, I'm always satisfied.

I always get exactly what I come for, and I'm always satisfied when I leave.

So what I, well, this is, this is better than the PX.

When you go to the PX.

It's like going through an assembly line.

Their haircut is done in, like ten, 15 minutes.

This one, he's not going to get done.

Cut my hai until he's satisfied with the, perfect haircut I'm going to get.

I know, I know this brother.

He got to go out and serve the country.

You know, that's that's a high honor.

That's a very high.

Anyway, I ain't going to pu a suit on, go out and do that.

To me, he's an honorable man.

And, I'm very happy what I do, I don't like what I do at all.

I love what I do, and I look forward to coming to work every day doing it.

A lot of people on life don't like what they do, but I can I can honestly say I've been very blessed, and I'm thankful to God that he's given me something that I love to do.

Several miles from downtown, you will find Philly's West Oakland neighborhood home of the original Pretty Boys Owner Bruce Burton told us how the shop got its name.

He had a partner at one time.

He said, when a guy sit in the chair, they always say, make me look pretty, make me look pretty.

So pretty boys.

It was, why did you leave your last bond?

Because he messed me up a whole lot.

It was ridiculous.

It's hard to find a good barber.

Anybody?

I know what they doing.

Some of the handsome hypocrites out there.

Anybody now?

But I found him.

That's what's up.

Maybe hook me up.

What it is reall is more than just, cutting hair.

That's the funny part.

Everybody feels the barber, even if they don't have a piece of paper, which means they didn't learn about hygiene.

They didn't learn about the different diseases.

They didn't learn it.

They don't know half the things to be a professional.

That's what that paper helps you do.

Become a professional.

What this barbershop is about and what I would like plenty more barber shops to be about is giving back to the community.

I don't live in this area, but I came to this area because I call it the front lines.

It's where the youth basically are going to need people to influence them, to understand that they don't have to do any illegal activities in order to become entrepreneurs now.

So I think the idea of cutting hair I knew that I could save lives.

I knew that putting someone in my chair and now they had to listen to me.

Especially if I become the best at my trade.

If I just give it 30 to 40% and I fell and I said, oh, I know why I didn't give it my all, now you have to sit here and listen to me.

And then if I employ people they have to listen to me also, which means their ideology would have to fit into mine if they wanted to be a part of what I was doing.

And they do, and he fit in and he fit in well.

Even though Bruce ha moved out of the neighborhood, as have many other local professionals, he's kept Pretty Boys right here on Hogans Avenue, where it can remain a fixture in the community.

And it's from the shop that he's launched, what he hopes will be an annual day of respect, the day of respect is basically was about bringing professionals together doctors and lawyers, a truck drivers, anyon that was a professional outside sort of youth would have a opportunity to meet with them.

It was a way to just bring them men.

What would draw the youth in is because we want you to have the tools to be able to learn that.

There are other outlets.

Bruce hopes that the day of respect will make a difference in young people's lives.

But he's a realist.

He knows that it takes more than one day to overcome the influence of Philly's mean streets, but for him, it's personal they want to talk about.

They have a squad they're talking about, they have a crew.

And when I try to let them kno is this squad is their mother, because when they get shot, when you go in a hospital, they go to jail.

The first thing, they're like, mommy, mommy, could I come home?

Could you give me up so you understand who your squad is?

Understand who's loyal to you when you become a vegetable from getting shot?

Who's going to wipe your mouth and change the diaper you blow?

Is not your mother's gunshot wound to the lower abdomen.

Three years incarceration.

Whatever's going to be is going to be.

You can't be scared to save black.

I'm gonna save some life before somebody kills me.

Their life by save may saved my children's lives.

Even though I lost mine.

They may save the next generation.

May save your children's lives.

May implore your children's thanks that I came back to this area.

He may be the fortune 500 company guy.

I probably wasn't that guy probably when my time was up.

So I'm just doing what I think I'm supposed to be doing.

As Bruce battle on trying to make things better for the people around him, he continues a tradition that goes back to the Vosburgh of Erie and beyond.

All right, you may find the in the smallest country towns.

I love you back here.

Okay, well, first child's haircut.

I had to come in, let them do it.

Or in the middle of a busy college campus.

Excited with that?

Yeah.

I don't want no problems.

I'm a I'm a peace loving guy so I take my time, but where they are is nothing compared to the work that they do.

How old were you when I started cutting hair?

7 How old are you now?

still 7.

They are a cherished and vital part of the African-American experienc that would get all of this out the way we want it.

Then we are used to wanting to have all the number one on the side, armed with a pair of clippers and a good ear for listening.

They're making the world a better place, one haircut at a time.

So the shop called Maxamillion Gentleman Court.

Not dog, not gangster, not not pimp, not hustler gentlemen's quarters.

You know, that just might b the best haircut you ever get.

There it is.

The best one, man.

Yeah of course it beats the last one.

You only have to do that.

All you have to do is come on in two more weeks, and I'm going to show you a better one than that.

You know what I'm saying?

All right.

Funding for this program was provided by the Pennsylvania Public Television Network.

The network receives funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide public television for all Pennsylvanians.

And by viewers like you.

Thank you.