I am the only original barber left on The Avenue

November 29, 2020

“My family was from Rembert’s Hill, close to Union Town. My grandfather farmed cotton and left us 57 acres when he died. My parents left the farm and came to Mobile to get jobs. We started in Orange Grove and moved to Trinity Gardens. We had cows, pigs and goats. They didn’t have lights out there and the streets were dirt and mud. You had to walk through that to catch the bus at Highway 45.

My dad was a construction worker and worked on both tunnels in Mobile. My mom did domestic work. They came home tired, but they had nine kids. They taught us how to cook, clean and do everything. At 17, I had three jobs and was making more money than my dad did. I gave my parents the money to help them pay the bills.

One of my jobs was delivering milk with a white guy who looked out for me. He drove the truck on his route and I walked the bottles to the doors. He bought my breakfast at the restaurant at Smith Bakery every morning. I was the only Black in there, but I was too young to realize I was integrating the place. After breakfast, he dropped me off at Blount High School. I took a shower and put on my school clothes before class. After school, I walked from Blount to Trinity Gardens. That was every bit of six or seven miles. If the train passed, I hopped on it and jumped off about for or five blocks from where I lived. It was a dangerous way to get home.

I didn’t mind working. I started cutting hair and grass when I was 15. I went with my mom to where she worked and cut their yard. Soon, I was cutting the whole street and had a lawn service. I didn’t have any tools, but I used theirs. I started cutting hair and my next oldest brother kept the lawn service going.

Mr. Isaac White opened his barber college on Davis Avenue in 1960. It was the first barber college in the state of Alabama, white or black. I was one of the first students and finished in 1961. I worked at Lafayette Barbershop. We opened Star Barbershop and later opened another barbershop where the Solid Gold club used to be. I’ve been on this Avenue since 1961. I started working here when I was 21 and now I am 80. I have my master’s license and finally got to buy the building I wanted. I am the oldest barber and the only original barber left on The Avenue. The others died.

We were proud to be working on Davis Avenue. The businesses were Black-owned and there were no vacant lots. The food was good and everything was booming. We called it ‘Little New York’ and people from all over came here. When I was at Moody’s Barbershop, it was across the street from the Le Grand motel. It was the only motel in Mobile that allowed Blacks to stay there, no matter how famous they were. I saw some of the biggest stars walking out of the motel and down The Avenue, including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Little Willie John and Hank Ballard. I got to meet many of them in the barbershop. Some came in just to play checkers and sit around and talk. If I had any foresight, I would have taken pictures.

Babe’s hot dogs were the best hot dogs in town. You got a couple of them for five or ten cents apiece and snuck them in the Lincoln theater. There was a guy called Dead Man who walked the floor. He would yell out, ‘Who is eating those hot dogs?’ Everyone in there was eating a hot dog. It was something.

Next door to my barbershop was Vernon Crawford’s office. He was the first Black to own a law firm and he worked the civil rights cases in Mobile. Many lawyers came out of his office. I was active in the Civil Rights movement in Mobile. We had sit-ins and demonstrations. I was one of the first to integrate the Oyster House on Dauphin Street. We integrated Woolworth’s and Kress too. We tried to get 7-Eleven and the grocery stores to hire a black manager. Delchamps said they would close down before hiring a black manager. They closed down. That surprised me because they were doing a lot in Black business.

The march in Prichard was pretty scary. We were arrested and the Prichard jail cell wasn’t bigger than this barbershop. We marched on Davis Avenue. They locked up 30 to 40 of us overnight. The NAACP bailed us out. People spit on us and called us names. They shot tear gas at us in the paddy wagon. That burned. Our leaders told us not to fight back, but that took a lot of strength. I was hit once by a white policeman while I was working for the dairy. I was there too early. He called me over and slapped me and told me I wasn’t supposed to be there.

The things we went through were frightening, but we stuck our necks out and did what we needed to do. I don’t regret being a part of our everything. If they showed the footage that we had back there, you’d be surprised to see the people who took part in it. Mobile is better than a lot of cities, but you still have some hatred that is covered up. There were things we lost on Davis Avenue with integration, but it was a sacrifice. I did what I did because someone had to do it.

After integration, urban renewal denigrated everything. People started going to the malls and the businesses here went down. It was a struggle, but I always worked and have never been broke a day in my life. My wife died in 2009. We were together for 45 years. My parents taught me good values and I passed them down to my four kids. They all do good. I only have one son and he became one of the best young barbers on The Avenue. I am so proud of him and I have someone to leave this to. I tried to do the right thing, and everything worked out fine.”

This is from an interview with Mr. Robert Rembert for the story “Life on Davis Avenue” that starts running Wednesday in Lagniappe. It is the third part of the series “Buried in Oaklawn.”

There will be more stories from Davis Avenue on Our Southern Souls. Nicknamed The Avenue, it is now Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue in Mobile

21 Comments

  1. Nikklos Kidd

    This is a well structured article and to see Me. Rembert highlighted and profiled is truly a blessing.

    Reply
    • Willie Patterson

      Mr. Rembert cut my hair for years! I am glad to see this article!
      Willie Patterson

      Reply
    • Theona Womack Dawson

      Learning a lot of History from stories such as this.

      Reply
    • Pat bryant

      I remember how boomming davis ave use to be when I lived in Connecticut we were on a strip where the clubs and buisness were back to back in one out of one and I would tell people it reminded me about davis ave..best food best parties all around good time.beautiful article learn things i didnt know and heard about places that I didnt remember coming up as a little girl but just about everyone knew whites barber shop.kudos to you sir for your accomplishments

      Reply
  2. Michelle Gregory

    Awesome story

    Reply
  3. Hazell Glover Jones

    Congratulations to my cousin Robert, he is a Gentleman and a Barber. So proud of him, he is the Treasurer of the National Glover/Rembert Family Reunion. His wife Alma was our Vice President. Hats off on your longevity as a barber and your contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

    Reply
  4. Michael Angelo Nichols

    What a inspiring story used to Robert Rembert you gave me my first job as a shoe shine guy at your shoe shine shop on Saint Stephen’s Road thank you it made a man out of me and I have never been really broke a day in my life after working there. In 1970 I was 12 years old making 50 to $80 a week which was great money for a 12 year old in 1970.

    Reply
    • Eric Moore

      I am a barber here in Mobile Al. as well so this was a very interesting article …… I also attended barber school with his son that he mentioned ……. I’m looking forward to reading the other articles
      #MobileAlabama
      #thedrag
      #Davisavenue
      #mlkblvd

      Reply
      • Eliott

        Very interesting article. I once was a customers of his. Thank you for all you do and what you have done.

        Reply
      • Antee Rembert

        Iam Antee Rembert. I am honored to be related to such an awesome man. My dad is Johnnie Ree Rembert. If God is willing I will get to see that barber shop soon. I’m coming cuz. Live and respect you

        Reply
        • Helen Goodwill Abrams

          My grandmother was from Rembert Hill. Name Rebecca Rembert. We lived in Linden

          Reply
      • Roy Taylor

        That was a wonderful story to read I grew up in Orange Grove behind Lincoln inn the blue room looking forward to reading more stories

        Reply
    • Nancy

      This. Is a great and inspirational story. I look forward to reading more stories like this one. Thank you for sharing your history with us. Congratulations for your accomplishments.

      Reply
    • Monica Henderson

      Yes, Rembert’s Barber is where I took my 2 boys until they got old enough to go by themselves. Mr Rembert would see to them getting their haircuts and watching them safely make it back home by cutting through bushes behind the shop. Mr Rembert has cut my boys hair when I was short on cash and waited until I was able to send him the funds- Nothing shady just an honest good man.

      Reply
  5. Vanessa Leverett

    I’m Vanessa Moore and my som came to Rembert’s barber shop for some years..

    Reply
  6. Mona Lisa Johnson

    This is a very interesting article, as a young child my grandfather worked in Abrams barbershop on the Avenue. Mr Willie Crosby don’t know a lot but I know he worked as well as pasted away in his chair. I would love to read more of this article.

    Reply
  7. Felicia Collier

    A blessing to know of a true matriarch of the legendary “Davis Avenue!”

    Reply
  8. Felicia Jones

    My dad was from Uniontown his name was Mac Jones

    Reply
  9. Sarah Horton

    Rembert, we were friends back then. I worked in the LaSabre Club when you were in the shop ajoining the club. It’s good to see you life is good. Continue praying and taking care of yourself.

    Reply
  10. Erik Jackson

    Mr. Rembert was The only barber I had growing up in Mobile. I remember jumping up into the chair! As a grandfather now, I wish all boys could have those experiences. Great man and anchor in the Avenue history.

    Reply
  11. Erma W. Roberts

    Great to see my cousin give this great history lesson! You are definitely a PILLAR in the community. Hopefully we will get to see each other again soon.

    Reply

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