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Business Card for "Queen Esther Stafford Henderson Skilled Beautician."

Detroit, nd (1940s?/1950. Item #97-7256

3.5 x 2, illustr of two female heads with 1930s hairstyles, on the back are several lines of poetry listing the attributes of "woman." Small area of lighting fading in upper left corner, very light creasing else very good. Card reads: "Where there's Beauty There is Charm. Queen Esther Stafford Henderson, Skilled Beautician, Phone To. 5-0717, by Appointment only, 531 Belmont Avenue, Detroit, Mich." According to the city directories from the 1930s-40s, the only Esther Henderson was a nurse who lived at 4222 John R, just a few miles from Belmont. However, by the 1950s, Ms. Stafford Henderson may have moved to that address because in 1957-58 there was a Moses C. Stafford at that address with the same phone # as on the business card. Belmont Avenue was located at the northern end of Paradise Valley which was an area of all African-American residences, businesses and entertainment. It bordered the Black Bottom, another all African-American area. Two of the more famous people to come from these areas were the poets Robert Hayden and Dudley Randall. Items from either of these areas are scarce.

Price: $4.95