A Cut Above When It Comes to Giving Back in Southeast
By Brian Goodin
Photos by Brian Goodin
Tau Baraka is the owner of The World Famous Imperial Barbershop, a well-known business located just south of the trolley tracks near the 63rd St. corridor of entrepreneurs on Imperial Ave. Most of the businesses owners along the corridor are of African American descent, a rare sight in a community that at one time prided itself on having over 300 black-owned and run businesses. If it is to happen again it will be in conjunction with the efforts of this well-spoken polite brown-skinned black man who seems to walk in a Gandhi-like spirit. Tau is a liberator of sorts, all under the guise of a fabulous barber and community activist.
Baraka’s barbering team consists of Ms. Lady, a very skilled barber who also practices in Hair Loss Restoration. Working alongside her is Marcus Lucy from Alabama, a gentleman who always leaves his clients satisfied with a superb haircut.
The environment of The World Famous Imperial Barber is one of power. Black power, if you will. Tau is not shy about presenting an image of dignity, strength, and a call to action concerning African Americans in an effort to uplift people and comm”UNITY.” The Southeast community is reflected on the walls inside and outside of this empowering establishment.
Inside the shop, there are numerous photos of black people who make a positive difference in the neighborhood. On the walls outside, in the back of the building, is a very eclectic display of spray-painted artwork. It all signifies the spirit of a struggle. The artists are of various cultural backgrounds, lending to the message of coming together, which is the loving fuel of the Imperial Barbershop. Tau Baraka allows the promotion and sales of items like t-shirts, hats, and books from many local entrepreneurs that show who they are and where they come from right there in his barbershop.
The beauty of the World Famous Imperial Barbershop goes back to the days of old when men would come to a community barbershop and really get plugged into the world around them. That’s exactly what Tau Baraka does in his barbering business. Tau says that his shop is a place one can come into and get connected to community resources. In part, that’s because his barbershop partners with Pillars of the Community, an organization that makes a very strong pledge to positively give all that they can to build a better world.
Baraka also teams with members of Reclaiming the Community movement, which has allowed him to be directly involved in helping to step up the quality of life for others by getting them out of negative lifestyle patterns. Another helping solution by way of this barbershop has come in the form of a shoe drive that has afforded hundreds of shoes for those in need. Baraka feels that his direct contact with customers has made all the difference in giving him a chance to get others involved in making Southeast a much better community to live in.
Tau Baraka feels the passion and the heartbeat of the people who come into his shop from all walks of life color and culture. In his 20 some odd years of barbering, he wishes he could get all those people together at one time on one page to move in unison. Sounds a lot like a civil rights movement, and how appropriate, during Black History Month, for another uplifting motivator to come our way, even if he or she does it from behind a barber chair.
I salute the World Famous Imperial Barbershop, and all of those behind the barber’s chair, who lend their ears, eyes, and reasonable solutions to making the community and world a better place, all while keeping us looking good.
