“A Barber’s Shop at Richmond, Virginia”

“This image by English artist Eyre Crowe was published on the cover of the March 9, 1861 edition of the Illustrated London News. Click here or on the image to read the complete entry at the Encyclopedia Virginia website.

“Before the Civil War, most black barbers explicitly groomed wealthy white men, like businessmen and politicians. Black customers were not allowed to get haircuts in these black-owned barbershops, mainly because white customers didn’t want black customers getting shaved next to them. That smacked too much of social equality, so barbers capitulated to the wishes of their white customers both in the North and the South.”
Hunter Oatman-Stanford. “Straight Razors and Social Justice: The Empowering Evolution of Black Barbershops,” Collector’s Weekly, May 30, 2014

“Even when Black-owned shops did eventually arise as slavery fell, these shops were still mostly catering to a white customer base. As such, it was difficult for a Black man to approach a Black barber to reap the benefits of their skills.”
“The History of Black Barbershops: The Must-Know Info About Black Barbershops’ Impact on the Industry,” National Association of Barbers, February 27, 2022

Douglas Walter Bristol, Jr. Knights of the Razor: Black Barbers in Slavery and Freedom. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015

Quincy T. Mills. Cutting Along the Color Line: Black Barbers and Barber Shops in America. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013

____________. Left of Black: The Black Barbershop. (35:46) John Hope Franklin Center at Duke University, 2014

____________. Left of Black: The Black Barbershop (4:42) John Hope Franklin Center at Duke University, 2018

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The American Civil War: Every Day

“An animated map of the American Civil War from start to finish this time featuring KIA count, labels for states and notable towns, and refined accuracy.”
“The American Civil War: Every Day,” EmperorTigerStar, November 2018, YouTube (5:53)
Click on the image to begin the animation which is hosted on YouTube.

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The Emancipation Proclamation: The Civil War in Four Minutes

Oops! I accidentally posted the originally scheduled entries 24 hours early. To view these items click on Emancipation Day Parade and Moses Grimes, Company B.

So consider “The Emancipation Proclamation: The Civil War in Four Minutes” a bonus. The narrator Hari Jones was a well-respected historian in Washington, DC. Many of us got to know him during his tenure at the African American Civil War Memorial founded by Dr. Frank T. Smith, Jr. in July 1998. This four-minute program was sponsored by the American Battlefield Trust.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I launched this blog on Veterans Day 2018. During that time I’ve shared weekly posts with selected Facebook groups that responded with enthusiasm. Members of those groups engaged with questions, notes about information they’ve uncovered, and expressions of support. When I posted to those Facebook groups Sunday, January 22, 2023, I received the following message: “Your message couldn’t be sent because it includes content that other people on Facebook have reported as abusive.” I’ve requested a review from Facebook. Thanks for your understanding.

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Stethoscopes

Civil War-era monaural stethoscope in the collection of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Frederick, Maryland

Binaural stethoscope circa 1870 in the collection of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Frederick, Maryland

Note: The images above appeared in “Historical Implications of a Failing Heart” by Richard A. Reinharton on the National Museum of Civil War Medicine blog on June 19, 2017.

“Museum From Home: A Brief History of the Stethoscope,” (4:51) Royal College of Physicians, November 12, 2020.
Senior curator Lowri Jones, senior curator at the Royal College of Physicians presents a brief history of the stethoscope which includes examples from the collection.

The Stethoscope. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1964.
Four-page biography of Renee Laennec who invented the stethoscope published for the Medical Museum of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology

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“A Civil War Soldier Revisited”

This sidebar accompanies today’s sketch for Charles Sprout, Company E, 1st US Colored Cavalry.
Thank you, Mr. Wilinski for sharing this information with me — Leslie

“Charles Sprout: A Civil War Soldier Revisited“
“An exploration of the life and death of Charles Sprout, a soldier in the United States Colored Troops (USCT) during and after the Civil War. Using military and pension records held by the National Archives, it shows how the National Archives supports and provides synergy with other federal agencies, such as the National Park Service, in presenting an enslaved person’s unique military history.”

This brief documentary on YouTube gives a lot of detail about Charles Sprout’s life before and after the Civil War. Research was conducted by Jesse Wilinski, Archives Technician, National Archives, Washington, DC who also volunteers at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia. Also featured in the film is Peter Maugle, Park Ranger/Historian, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia.

Approved Pension File for Private Charles Sprout, Company E, 1st U.S. Colored Troops Cavalry Regiment (SC-814459)

Compiled Military Service Record for Private Charles Sprout
A serviceman’s CMSR includes a physicial description, details about his enlistment, his whereabouts during his service, notes about sums owned to a sutler or the U.S. Army, and legal status at enlistment.

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