John Richards: From Slave to Business Owner

Illustration of a building with sign on roof, Santa Rosa House. — Santa Rosa House owned by Edward P. Colgan, with John Richards’ home and bath house on the left, 1862. View in our Digital Collection.

John Richards was Santa Rosa’s pioneer barber. He came here in 1856, opened a shop at the corner of Second and Main Streets, near Santa Rosa House where the stage stopped. Johnny Richards’ barber shop quickly became the communication center of the town, where businessmen and farmers met to visit and where citizens gathered when the stage came in to hear the news of the outside world. John Richards and his position in Santa Rosa served as proof that there are no hard and fast rules that govern politics and prejudice and respect. For Johnny Richards was a black man, born a slave in Kentucky in 1824.

— LeBaron, Gaye. “Untitled Sunday Column.” Santa Rosa Press Democrat, May 27, 1979.

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