Black-owned Businesses
During Jim Crow days, when White business owners did not necessarily cater to African American customers and most establishments throughout the White community were segregated, the local Black community worked to build its own economy to answer the needs of the community. Black-owned businesses, from boarding houses and hotels to restaurants, cafés, nightclubs, and barbershops, offered their clientele what was not available to them otherwise.
In the Black community, you had the Stonewall Hotel, you had Scott’s, you had Mrs. Johnson’s place out back of the squares…. There were a number of barbeques down on Pierson St. There were a number of Black businesses. They were not large businesses but they were surviving, you know … they were family owned businesses.”
Businesses like Mama Fannie’s Boarding House, the 5th Street Package Store and Café owned by Thomas Nora, Elton Burton’s Playhouse and Burton’s Place all contributed to the economic base of the African American community. They also provided congenial environments where African Americans were free to socialize and express themselves.
Yeah, it was just for Blacks – a Black owned club.… it didn’t have much room in there, the one on Dixie Street; but one opened, it was bigger [and] you could dance in that one.
Even within the boundaries of their own neighborhoods, however, Jim Crow was never far removed from the daily lives of African Americans in Natchitoches.
I was operating a business on Amulet Street, and when night came – when 12 o’clock came – all the Black people had to get off the streets. You wouldn’t see a Black on the street after 12 o’clock. Police were driving you off the streets.… I remember one night I was in the barbershop there operating and the police came in there and snatched the … chair cloth, snatched it off and said, “Close up this place!
Fifth Street Package Store and Restaurant, Urbach Collection, Box 4, 1954, CHRC
Shields Club, Guillet Collection, #A-6167, n.d., CHRC
Marzelie’s, 1949 Natchitoches Telephone Directory, CHRC
Eddie’s, 1962 Natchitoches City Directory, CHRC
Restaurants, 1955 Natchitoches Telephone Directory, CHRC