Barber/Abolitionist

Birth: May 1812, in Raleigh, North Carolina

Died: July 14, 1901, in Richmond, Indiana

Early Life: Calvin was born into slavery, but in 1829, he escaped to Dover, Indiana, with a group of Quakers. Then, at 20, he moved to Richmond, Indiana.

Career as a Barber: John G. Brittain, who had opened and owned the first barbershop in Richmond, sold the shop to Calvin. Calvin was said to have excelled at cutting hair.

Abolitionist Work: Calvin was a conductor of the Underground Railroad, helping escaped enslaved people make it to the North. Many people spent the night at his North Third Street home across from the Wayne County Courthouse. Calvin was also friends with prominent abolitionist Frederick Douglass and frequently visited Richmond.