DETROIT (WXYZ) — At 87 years old, Vonzie Whitlow continues cutting hair at Detroit’s first Black-owned barbershop, a legacy spanning more than six decades of community service and mentorship.
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“God keeps me motivated,” Whitlow said.
Whitlow’s barbershop opened in 1963 when Vonzie partnered with one of his two younger brothers, Calvin, who has since passed away. Their father, Howard Whitlow, encouraged the two to start the business right around the time Vonzie’s daughter, Zena, was born.
“He didn’t take me to daycare, he took me to work with him,” Zena Whitlow said.
The barbershop has become a cornerstone of the community, serving multiple generations of Detroit families. Randy Tate has sat in the chair since he was a kid, born the same year the barbershop opened…