The 500 block of East Nash Street is justly remembered as the 20th century epicenter of Wilson’s African-American-owned businesses. However, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Black entrepreneurs and tradespeople also operated across the tracks. As Wilson’s downtown experiences a resurgence, let’s rediscover and celebrate these pioneering men and women.

Check in each Sunday for the latest in the Historic Black Business Series!

Henry C. Holden‘s barbershop briefly occupied the basement level of the Branch Bank building at the corner of East Nash and South Goldsboro Streets.

In the 1908 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Holden Henry C, barber Branch Banking Co’s Bldg h 115 Pender

The 1908 Sanborn map of Wilson notes “Barber in B[asement]” of Branch Bank at the corner of Nash and Goldsboro Streets (formerly numbered 125.)

However, in the 1912 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory, Holden is listed as a barber at the Mayflower Barber Shop, Levi H. Jones‘ business at 108 West Nash Street.

And in the 1916 city directory, Holden, who lived at 235 West Kenan, was working for Tabron Brothers barbershop. (He had married their sister, Lila Tabron, in 1904.)

When he registered for the World War II draft in 1918, Henry Clay Holden stated he was working for yet another barber, Bill Hines, at 119 South Tarboro Street.

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, February 2024.