Harris Barber College: A Cornerstone Of The Community

RALEIGH, NC – Founded in 1930 by Samuel Harris, Harris Barber College (HBC) has remained at the pinnacle of educating the next generation of barber professionals. Currently located at 803 S Blount Street in Raleigh, behind Shaw University, the college is being managed by one of its own graduates, Tobias McLean.

From its humble beginnings in a barbershop in downtown Raleigh, the prestigious college has been carried on by numerous managers and has achieved a level of excellence that propelled the college to be among the best educational facilities for barbers in the state. With a mission dedicated to teaching students not only the skills necessary to be a barber but also all the necessary lessons to live a successful life, the college has allowed students to build on their personal integrity and motivation.

After moving to the new location, Harris Barber College soon became a boarding college, the first and only Barber college in the State with on-campus living quarters for its students. In the new facility, they were able to provide students with technical and practical experience in the profession by inviting the public to use these facilities for their hair care needs.

Following the death of Samuel Harris, the management of the college was taken up by his wife, Vivian Harris, who had a background in teaching. Under her guidance, the college continued to grow in recognition and after her retirement, the tradition of having former students or reliable instructors manage the college began. Starting with George K. Lynch, all the way to the current manager, Tobias McLean.

Tobias McLean graduated from Harris Barber College in May of 1892. He continued to work on his education after this, gaining both a cosmetology license as well as an instructor’s license. He returned to Harris Barber College to become a part-time instructor and often helped the then manager, Reverend Stone. Upon Rev. Stone’s retirement, he took over as manager and continues to manage and instruct at the institution to this day.

Harris Barber College now has a diverse range of students learning within their walls. Tobias McLean informed us that the demography of the institution has shifted from one that was predominantly black to one that has people from different backgrounds. He informed us that there are many legacy students, students whose family members had also graduated from this college. They have opened their doors to students with prior knowledge in the Barber profession, as well as complete newcomers. For a student to successfully graduate, they must follow the curriculum set by the State of North Carolina, this includes at least 1,528 hours of practical work in less than a year.

The college teaches a variety of subjects that include NC Barber Law, Chemistry, Men and Women’s Hair Styling, Management, and many others. Furthermore, Harris Barber College assists graduates in finding employment and thus maintains a close relationship, even with the students that have left its halls. Since it is recognized by many of the shops and salons around the state of NC, it is not hard for graduates to find work upon completion of their studies. As a matter of fact, the college itself receives calls from out of state institutions seeking graduate students to join as employees. Tobias himself said, “I get calls from places in New York, D.C., and Atlanta looking for employees.”  This is a great way for people to get employed and the constant contact that graduates seem to maintain with the college helps further this effort of ensuring the student’s future in the industry.

As with a lot of schools and colleges, Harris Barber College was hit by the coronavirus pandemic, seeing a dip in the number of applicants and customers. However, McLean continues to boast one of the best colleges in the State and is regularly ensuring the safety of all current students and customers by adhering to COVID-19 safety regulations.

“We stand by COVID safety regulations,” McLean said. “Customers are expected to wear masks except when working on their facial hair. Even then, they are not allowed to speak until the mask is back on.” This regard for safety regulations helps ensure everyone’s safety at the college and the community. While these current circumstances may not be easy for a barber college, Harris Barber College is conducting itself phenomenally in ensuring that they are a safe place for people to visit, whether as students or customers.

Harris Barber College has a simple goal, “to develop students holistically and provide them with the tools that will help them be successful both as barbers and as human beings.” They are dedicated to seeing their students thrive in the industry and achieve everything they set out to achieve. The college remains a cornerstone for the locals and continues to serve the community, providing expert help and instruction as well as technical services. Under the guidance of Tobias McLean, Harris Barber College has continued to grow and provide a place for people to gain valuable education and further employment. 

For more information, visit www.hbccollege.com/.