Amherst professor teams up with student to open campus barbershop

[anvplayer video=”5166604″ station=”998132″]

The Black community at Amherst College has turned a challenge into an opportunity, with students and faculty creating their own barbershop and making it one of the hottest spots on campus for all students.

New to Amherst College, and unable to find a traditional Black barbershop near campus, Professor Frank Roberts from New York, uses his faculty office to fill a cultural gap.

Roberts teamed up with the center from the Amherst basketball team. He’s originally from Nigeria. Few can pronounce his name. Everyone on campus knows him as Bo, the barber from Baltimore, who cuts hair in his dorm room.

Moving his fades from a dorm room to a faculty office is an upgrade, and it’s more inclusive.

Only 10% of Amherst students are Black, along with just 5% of its faculty.

The big weekly Thursday gatherings defy the stats because so many students show up, regardless of race. The cuts are free. Everyone can even leave with a free book.

Check out just how crowded everything can get by watching the video from WBTS.