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HARRIS HISTORY
Learn about our historic barber college! To understand where you are going you must know where you came from, looking back and moving forward.
Take a look at history here!
OUR HISTORY
Founded in 1930 by Samuel Harris, Harris Barber College (HBC) has remained at the pinnacle of educating the next generation of barber professionals. Currently located at 803 S Blount Street in Raleigh, behind Shaw University, the college is being managed by one of its own graduates, Tobias McLean.
From its humble beginnings in a barbershop in downtown Raleigh, our prestigious college has been carried on by numerous managers and has achieved a level of excellence that propelled the college to be among the best educational facilities for barbers in the state. With a mission dedicated to teaching students not only the skills necessary to be a barber but also all the necessary lessons to live a successful life, the college has allowed students to build on their personal integrity and motivation.
After moving to the new location, Harris Barber College soon became a boarding college, the first and only Barber college in the State with on-campus living quarters for its students. In the new facility, they were able to provide students with technical and practical experience in the profession by inviting the public to use these facilities for their hair care needs.
Following the death of Samuel Harris, the management of the college was taken up by his wife, Vivian Harris, who had a background in teaching. Under her guidance, the college continued to grow in recognition and after her retirement, the tradition of having former students or reliable instructors manage the college began. Starting with George K. Lynch, all the way to the current manager, Tobias McLean.
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Tobias McLean graduated from Harris Barber College in May of 1982. He continued to work on his education after this, gaining both a cosmetology license as well as an instructor’s license. He returned to Harris Barber College to become a part-time instructor and often helped the then manager, Reverend Stone. Upon Rev. Stone’s retirement, he took over as manager and continues to manage and instruct at the institution to this day.
