E. F. Young Jr.

E. F. Young Jr. (July 13, 1898[1][2] – May 4, 1950[3]) was an American businessman in Meridian, Mississippi, who built a business related to services, such as barber shops and beauty shops. He also manufactured and sold hair care products developed for African Americans. Young manufactured products in Chicago, Illinois and Meridian.

E. F. Young, Jr. ca 1940

He also owned and operated the E. F. Young Hotel in Meridian. It was an important resource for black travelers in the years of segregation and provided good lodging. In 2007, the Young Hotel was listed as a contributing property to the Meridian Downtown Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[4]

Early years

Eugene Fred Young Jr. was born in 1898 in Russell, Mississippi, the son of E. F. Young Sr., a Methodist minister, farmer, and administrator[5] and his wife Maggie.[1][6]

In 1927, after graduating from the Haven Institute in Meridian, Mississippi, Young set out to establish a career in business. For an African-American man in the Jim Crow South, opportunities were few and far between. While in school, he worked part-time as a barber, which was a good service career at the time. Barbers had connections in the upper classes of both the white and black communities, as men used their services extensively before razors and electric shavers were widely available. Upon graduation, Young began working full-time as a barber to support his new wife Velma and growing family.

Family

E. F. Young married Velma Beal in 1927. They had three children:

  • Loyce Young [Daniels-De Augustino-Todd] (April 3, 1928 – November 9, 1994)[7]
  • Charles Lemuel Young Sr. (born August 27, 1931[8] – April 29, 2009)[9]
  • E(ugene) F(red) "Sonny" Young III

Career

As a barber, Young realized that his African-American clients needed hair care products designed for them. As the demand for these products grew, he decided to start a company to manufacture these products on a wider scale. In 1931, he established the E. F. Young Jr. Manufacturing Company.[5] In 1933, his company received its trademark. By 1945, it had grown to one of the most successful black-owned businesses in the South.[5]

E. F. Young Hotel in Meridian, Mississippi

Young also bought and operated a hotel in Meridian, naming it the E. F. Young Hotel, and operated a barbershop in the hotel. At a time when African Americans were legally excluded from white facilities by Jim Crow laws of segregation, it provided good quarters for black travelers. In 2007, the Young Hotel was listed as a contributing property to the Meridian Downtown Historic District.[4]

After a long terminal illness, Young died on May 4, 1950,[3] just nine days after his father.[6] His widow assumed control of the business. Their eldest son, Charles L. Young Sr., took over the operation as president in 1969. He served as president of the company until his death in 2009.[5] The company distributes its line of products throughout the United States. Charles Young, Sr. expanded its products to markets in Canada and the Caribbean.[5] Charles Young, Sr. also entered politics, serving as representative from Meridian in the state legislature from 1981 to his death.

Legacy
  • The E. F. Young Hotel was listed as a contributing property of the Meridian Historic District, on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • The E. F. Young Company continues to operate and has expanded to international distribution of its products.

Notes

The 1900 U.S. Census records Young's birth month as July 1898. His World War I Draft Card recorded his birthday as July 13, 1900. The July 13, 1898 date is likely accurate.

References
  1. 1900 U.S. Census, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, household of Fred Young accessed on http://www.ancestry.com
  2. "World War I Draft Registration Card [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. 1918. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
  3. "Nationally Known Meridian Beauty Products Maker is Victim of Long Illness". Jackson Advcate. Jackson, Mississippi. 13 May 1950. Retrieved 14 Aug 2023 – via newspapers.com. E. F. Young, Jr., nationally known beauty products maker, president and founder of E. F. Young, Jr. Manufacturing Co., and one of the state's most successful business men died here last Thursday, the victim of a long and complicated illness.
  4. Linda Ford (January 16, 2007). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Meridian Downtown Historic District" (pdf). National Park Service.
  5. E. F. Young Jr. Manufacturing Co. official website "E.F. Young Jr". Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  6. "General President of H.B.A. passes". The Echo. Meridian, Mississippi. 1 May 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 13 Sep 2023 – via newspapers.com. Reverend E.F. Young, General President of the Holbrook Benevolent Association for the past 40 years of [sic] more, passed to the great beyond, Tuesday morning, April 25th, after a lengthy illness.
  7. Funeral Program for Loyce De Augustino-Todd, 1994
  8. Phelps, Shirelle, ed. (1998). Who's Who among African Americans (11th ed.). Detroit; London: Gale. ISBN 0-7876-2469-1. ISSN 1081-1400.
  9. Brown, Ida (2009-04-30). "Meridian loses giant". Meridian (MS) Star. Meridian, Mississippi. Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2009-04-30.
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