How a Barber Stole the Blueprint from Millionaires
From One Mic Black History by Michael Motley jr
January 19, 2026 · 10 min · Season 9
About this episode
The episode discusses how John Merrick, a barber, navigated the financial system in 1898 to create opportunities for Black people.
In 1898, the American financial system had a specific label for Black people: "Uninsurable." They said we died too young. They said we were too poor. They wrote us out of the equation.But John Merrick, a barber in Durham, NC, had a different plan. While shaving the throats of the South's most powerful white titans, he wasn't just making small talk. He was stealing their blueprint.
People in this episode
Host: Michael Motley jr
Topics covered
- Black history
- financial system
- entrepreneurship
- barbering
- wealth building
Keywords
- John Merrick
- barber
- financial system
- Black wealth
- 1898
- Durham NC
- entrepreneurship
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Durham, NC
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