Nicole Hill

Her brother goes to Howard University and then the University of Michigan where he graduates magna cum laude and then he comes home to D.C., marries an elite Black woman at the 15th Street Presbyterian Church, becomes a doctor. All right, so you're Lulu.

Make your ideal 1886 man up.

Make your ideal 1886 man up.

Make your ideal 1886 man up.

Okay, so Lulu starts dating one of her dad Richard's employees. Oh. He's an aspiring young barber named John F. Cragwell. Can I have you read how the papers described Mr. Cragwell at that time? It's on page one.

Okay, so Lulu starts dating one of her dad Richard's employees. Oh. He's an aspiring young barber named John F. Cragwell. Can I have you read how the papers described Mr. Cragwell at that time? It's on page one.

Okay, so Lulu starts dating one of her dad Richard's employees. Oh. He's an aspiring young barber named John F. Cragwell. Can I have you read how the papers described Mr. Cragwell at that time? It's on page one.

I mean, yeah, ideally family money or real estate investments.

I mean, yeah, ideally family money or real estate investments.

I mean, yeah, ideally family money or real estate investments.

She likes him. Okay, so this is the thing. Craigwell is a barber or a tonsillary artist, which is what they're called at this time. Black men were finding that they actually really enjoy the experience of going to a shop together, talking reckless, hanging out, also getting their hair done. So men are like, oh, okay, you guys like this? They start opening barbershops somewhat regularly.

She likes him. Okay, so this is the thing. Craigwell is a barber or a tonsillary artist, which is what they're called at this time. Black men were finding that they actually really enjoy the experience of going to a shop together, talking reckless, hanging out, also getting their hair done. So men are like, oh, okay, you guys like this? They start opening barbershops somewhat regularly.

She likes him. Okay, so this is the thing. Craigwell is a barber or a tonsillary artist, which is what they're called at this time. Black men were finding that they actually really enjoy the experience of going to a shop together, talking reckless, hanging out, also getting their hair done. So men are like, oh, okay, you guys like this? They start opening barbershops somewhat regularly.

They begin popping up all over Black communities. And people are starting to be like, huh, this seems like it's a community hub. This seems like a potentially lucrative business. So being a Black barber does have the potential to become like an important role in the Black community and a profitable job. So Lulu's like, maybe she's like, you know, there's potential here, Dad.

They begin popping up all over Black communities. And people are starting to be like, huh, this seems like it's a community hub. This seems like a potentially lucrative business. So being a Black barber does have the potential to become like an important role in the Black community and a profitable job. So Lulu's like, maybe she's like, you know, there's potential here, Dad.

They begin popping up all over Black communities. And people are starting to be like, huh, this seems like it's a community hub. This seems like a potentially lucrative business. So being a Black barber does have the potential to become like an important role in the Black community and a profitable job. So Lulu's like, maybe she's like, you know, there's potential here, Dad.

Like, just let him cook. Like, we don't know what he can do. So they keep dating, and they do fall in love. Aw. So, like, let's picture a romance montage. You're Lulu. You're with your Craigwell. Can you just, like, describe the world that you two would build together? What kind of dates would you want to go on with him in the 1880s?

Like, just let him cook. Like, we don't know what he can do. So they keep dating, and they do fall in love. Aw. So, like, let's picture a romance montage. You're Lulu. You're with your Craigwell. Can you just, like, describe the world that you two would build together? What kind of dates would you want to go on with him in the 1880s?

Like, just let him cook. Like, we don't know what he can do. So they keep dating, and they do fall in love. Aw. So, like, let's picture a romance montage. You're Lulu. You're with your Craigwell. Can you just, like, describe the world that you two would build together? What kind of dates would you want to go on with him in the 1880s?

This cross-class kind of upstairs-downstairs romance is not something that the first families would have been cool with. They're very snobby. So just to put it in perspective, there's 230,000 people in D.C. at this time. 75,000, or 32% of them, are Black. And then 400 of the 75,000 are members of the first families. Wow.