loading image
Born in Washington, D.C., Nathaniel Mathis began cutting the hair of his friends as a teenager. Unlike most barbers, he also learned to style women’s hair, obtaining both a barber’s license and later attending cosmetology school. In 1969, Mathis and a partner opened the first Black unisex hair salon in Washington, D.C. Though he mastered a variety of hair styling techniques, by 1970, Mathis’ clients and colleagues had dubbed him “The Bush Doctor” for his expertise in fashioning male and female afros. In 1976, Mathis trademarked the name. He also patented a multi-pocketed barber’s apron in 1975. Mathis won many national and international hairstyling awards throughout his career. He has made frequent television appearances and has created period-hairstyles for films. In 1998, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History accessioned the Nathaniel Mathis Collection of Barbering and Beauty Culture in their archive, which includes papers, photographs, and videos documenting Mathis’ career. See “Hair Style” on display, post-security in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 or online - link in bio. https://bit.ly/HairStyleSFOM
This image was posted on August 09, 2021.