Sufronia Mitchell
Location 92
Date: 1940's
Owner: Bernetta G. Boyd
Sufronia MItchell, affectionately called Tiggie by family and close friends, was treasured in the
East Toledo community. She used her trade and entrepreneurial skills as well as her caring
heart to serve others. As a young woman, she didn’t want to be limited by society’s working
norms for black women during her era. Being a domestic worker was upstanding, but she
dreamt of becoming a beautician. With the support of her family and her faith in God, Sufronia
enrolled in Erma Lee’s Beauty School in Cleveland, Ohio in 1943. During the week, Sufronia
attended classes and lived in Cleveland while her husband, Julius Mitchell, and family cared for
the couple’s two daughters in Toledo. On the weekends, she returned home to be with her
family. Her family supported her dream in word and deed.
The family’s businesses, “The Walk-In Cafe” and “Mitchell’s Beauty Bar” were housed in a
building that was constructed by Sufronia’s father, Leander Hamer, who was a carpenter. The
building was in their East Toledo neighborhood. Leander ran the restaurant and Sufronia went
on to operate the beauty business for more than fifty years. Caring for her community’s hair and
earning an income were not the sole focus of her business. There were times when Sufronia
extended services knowing that customers would not be able to pay immediately. Around the
holidays or at the start of a school year, Sufronia would ask parents to bring their children to the
beauty shop, even if they could not pay for services. Her greatest concerns were for people to
live with dignity and to feel good about themselves. Sowing into the community was her joy, and
as a beautician, she was able to care for at least 5 generations. Sufronia was also a notable
member of the Ohio Beautician’s Association of Toledo and vicinity. She was a visionary who
pursued her dream and utilized her success to serve her community. These are but a few
reasons as to why Sufronia Mitchell was known as a trailblazer and a pillar of hope in East
Toledo.
The Marcel curling iron pictured is one of her many tools that she used in her trade. Precise
technique had to be mastered to hold, grip, and turn this springless, manual curling iron which
was heated on a stove.
Long live the memory of Sufronia “Tiggie” Mitchell.
