They called him Caesar, the famous barber of York.
Sold into slavery in 1743, John Hope was just a child when a York County tavern operator purchased him, rechristened him “Caesar” and advertised his “famous” haircuts.
Hope would remain enslaved for 36 years, until he was freed in 1779. Five years later, he had shed the slave name “Caesar” and was doing business in Williamsburg under the name John Hope. He had also purchased and freed his own son, Aberdeen.
Hope’s life takes center stage next month as Colonial Williamsburg opens its newest historic site, according to a recent press release.
Opening to the public Oct. 1, Hope’s Barber Shop “interprets the remarkable story of John Hope…who endured enslavement before winning freedom and achieving professional success,” the release states.
Colonial Williamsburg Actor-Interpreter DeAndre Short will portray Hope at the historic site.
“Every day at Colonial Williamsburg we share with our guests the remarkable lives of African-Americans who comprised more than half our city at the time of our nation’s birth,” Colonial Williamsburg President and CEO Mitchell Reiss said in the release. “Along with his fellow characters like Gowan Pamphlet, Aggy Randolph, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, John Hope offers guests a window on the courage and complexity that define America’s enduring story.”
Funding for interpretation at Hope’s Barber Shop was made possible by two anonymous donors, the release stated.
In a joint statement, the donors observed that “John Hope’s story of resilience, perseverance, and ultimate success is one that surely inspired his contemporaries, and can still inspire us all today.”
Hope’s Barber Shop is accessible to ticketed guests from the north side of Duke of Gloucester Street between the Palace Green and Market Square. It is open Sundays through Thursdays starting Oct. 1 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and then from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
