The History timeline of the Barbering

5,000 BC
As early as 6,000 years ago barbering services were performed by Egyptian nobili
ty. The crude instruments were usually formed from sharpened flint or oyster she
lls

900's

Barbers of the middle ages not only practiced shaving, hair-cutting and hair-dre
ssing, they also dressed wounds and performed surgical operation. They were call
ed Barber-Surgeons.

1096

The Barber-Surgeons formed their first organization in France in 1096.

1300's

In the thirteenth century in England, Barbers formed into two classes: Those who
practiced barbering and those who practice surgery.

1450

The Barber's company and the Surgeon's guild were united by law in 1450. The law
was enacted so that no one during surgery should practice barbering and no barb
er should practice any phase of surgery except the pulling of teeth.

1745

Finally in 1745 a bill was passed separating barbers from surgeons. When the Bar
ber-Surgeons separated, the barber kept the pole as their identification. The po
le consists of Red and White, or Red, White and Blue strips. Red for blood, Whit
e for bandages and Blue for veins.

1770's

Most of the Colonial Days were smooth shaven and many of the rich wore wigs. Als
o in the Colonial days barbering was hardly considered a white man's trade. Henc
e it was mostly confined to black barbers. Wealthy people became slave owners an
d the duty of the barber was shifted to the servants.

1799

George Washington was bled to death by his physician in 1799. He suffered from a
prolonged windpipe infection. He died calmly counting his pulse at the age of s
ixty-seven.

1848

By 1848 bloodletting instruments had disappeared from most Doctors satchels.

1861

The beard did not come into it's own until the Civil War. 1861-1865

1865

After the Civil War with the influx of Dutch, Germans, Italians, and Swedish emm
igrants, the white man began to thrive and the barber profession elevated.

1867

The Civil War that closely followed the Western movement brought more changes to
America. Including the re-establishment of the barber shop as an accepted insti
tution on Main Street.

1880's

The average shop at this time cost approximately twenty dollars to equip and wer
e ten by twelve feet in size. The shop consists of a straight-backed chair with
a head piece resembling a crutch, a basin of water, a piece of common soap and a
brush, 'setting' chairs and enough towels to last a week. "One towel to every t
en to twelve customers." Hair cuts were five or ten cents and shaves were three
cents.

1883

As people moved westward, there were little time for wigs and personal embellish
ments. The pioneer life was a hard one. The men let their hair grow as well as t
heir beards.

1886

The Barbers Protective Union was formed on December 6, 1886 in Columbus, Ohio.

1887

The Protective Union becomes the Journeymen Barber's International on December 5
, 1887.

1893

It was not until 1893 when A.B.Moler opened the first Barber School in Chicago.
He also published textbooks at that time.

1897

In 1897 the State of Minnesota passed legislation for a barber license. For the
next forty years various states enacted legislation whereby barbers were license
d and inspected for sterilization to protect the public from disease. With the e
nactment of the licensing laws and stringent inspections, diseases such as impet
igo, anthrax, ringworm and barbers itch are seldom heard of today.

1924

The Associated Master Barber of America was organized in 1924 in Chicago, Illino
is.

1940's

World War II brought about short hair as barbers were called into service. The f
lat top, butch, crew cut and the Princeton cut became popular.

1959

In 1959 Edmond O. Roffler developed the Roffler Sculptur-Kut technique, a method
were-by barbers could earn "big money" and capitalize on long hair. The Roffler
-Kut system started with twenty barbers.

1960

In the early sixties the Beetles set the stage for ling hair. Many barbers who r
efused to learn the methods of cutting ling hair were soon out of business.

1975

The Roffler-Kut system now has over 6,000 barbers that have been trained in the
Roffler Method. It is still being practiced today.

1981

In 1981 the Journeymen Barber International Union became part of the United Food
and Commercial Workers International Union.

1985

Over fifty percent of barber students are female.

1995

Since 1995 over fifty percent of barber students are African-American.

2000's

New technology and techniques continue to shape the future of barbering. Every y
ear more young men and women choose the barber profession. The future of barberi
ng is in their hands.

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May Gob Bless Us All!
-"Barber Love!"