In the midst of a job market effectively sealed off to Black Bostonians, crime and entrepreneurship emerged as dual means of survival. Joseph Clash emerged as a remarkable figure who navigated both worlds.
On February 2, 1863, two white men entered Clash’s barbershop in Boston’s North End, an area predominantly populated by Black residents at the time. Clash, a well-established entrepreneur who had diversified his ventures into a restaurant, catering, and even a dance hall, greeted these customers with little thought of the confrontation that was about to unfold.
After receiving a shave, one of the men, John Rogers, attempted to steal a book from the shop. Confronted by Clash, Rogers responded violently, attacking him. The events that transpired next were captured in the Boston Herald on February 3, 1863, which reported:
“Joe is not the man to be assaulted with impunity. No sooner was he struck than he drew his revolver, and told his assailant before he struck again to gaze upon that weapon. ‘Damn your old gun, it ain’t loaded!’ said Rogers.”
These words were tragically the last uttered by Rogers. Following a warning shot fired into his shop floor, Clash, defending himself against further aggression, shot Rogers in the torso. The next day, Rogers succumbed to his injuries at Massachusetts General Hospital.
What followed highlights Clash’s extensive network and connections, which had been cultivated over years of serving both the Black and white communities in Boston. He was defended by Robert Morris, described by historians as “the first really successful colored attorney in the United States,” who argued that the shooting was a case of self-defense. The Boston Traveler covered the trial on March 13, 1863, noting, “A number of police officers testified to his good character.”
Despite a jury mostly composed of white members—considering Black people made up less than 2% of Boston’s population at that time—Clash was acquitted of all charges and returned to his barbering work.
Born in Salem in 1808 to Joseph and Patience Clark, Clash had faced challenges early in life, including a four-year term in a state penitentiary for larceny in 1827. By 1840, however, he had opened his first barbershop, a significant accomplishment given the systemic barriers faced by Black men in Boston.
Jacqueline Jones, in her book “No Right to an Honest Living: The Struggles of Boston’s Black Workers in the Civil War Era,” describes a labor market resoundingly hostile to Black workers, relegating them to menial jobs. In this restrictive environment, Clash’s success, whether in legitimate businesses or underground enterprises, was exceptional.
Jones remarked in a recent interview, “Clash was a fascinating figure. He was an entrepreneur, a musician, a card sharp, a barber. You could imagine him making a mark in the legitimate world if he had the opportunity.”
As of 1863, despite gaining the right to vote, serve on juries, and attend integrated schools, the labor market in Boston remained largely segregated. Black men often found themselves waiting on street corners, uncertain of the day’s employment as business owners picked them for odd jobs.
Historian and former state representative Byron Rushing noted, “The average Black man didn’t know what work they would do until they gathered on a street corner.” Likewise, most Black women in the workforce were employed as domestic workers in white households.
The path to professional success for Black men was strewn with obstacles. Clash’s legal representative, Robert Morris, initially worked as a servant for a white abolitionist while studying law, eventually passing the bar in 1847. Other Black figures, such as abolitionist Lewis Hayden, leveraged their personal experiences of escaping slavery to educate others and open successful businesses, despite the continual challenges they faced.
As Rushing pointed out, “Black people didn’t cut Black people’s hair for money,” indicating the heavy reliance on white patronage among Black barbers like Clash. This was indicative of broader economic disenfranchisement, forcing Black entrepreneurs to find customers within the white community.
Even within his illicit activities, Clash’s customer base remained predominantly white. His establishments—spanning restaurants, dance halls, and even occasional prostitution—were among the rare locales where interactions between Black and white citizens occurred without the constraints often imposed by the larger society.
A reporter for the Boston Herald on February 3, 1863, offered colorful insights into Clash’s impact on his community, stating, “The name of Joe Clash is a household word, at the North End, the owner of it having been identified with the history of that part of city for many years.” This commentary reflects both the social standing and the cross-cultural engagements that defined Clash’s enterprises.
After the shooting incident, Clash returned to a quieter life, centering his daily existence around the barbershop. It remains unclear whether he maintained any criminal activities by this point. However, Clash had likely amassed a considerable store of goodwill throughout his years of service and interaction with Boston residents.
Jacqueline Jones suggested that Clash’s ingrained presence in the community might have influenced the jury’s decisions. “He had so insinuated himself into the life of the city that juries of the time wouldn’t convict him,” she noted, reflecting on the complexities of race and justice in 19th-century Boston.
In 1872, nine years post-shooting, Clash’s life took a tragic turn when he closed his barbershop early one day. He left a note for his wife, then descended into the basement and took his own life. The implications of his choice resonate powerfully, given the pressures he faced throughout his life.
At his passing, Clash left behind his fourth wife, three former spouses, and seven children, finding his final rest in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett. His life story is a testament to the resilience and complicated narratives that defined the experiences of Black Bostonians during a time of profound societal upheaval.
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