Black History in Helena Montana

Here it is almost the end of February and I have not even mentioned Black History Month.  I am not as familiar with the subject as I should be, but I did a little research to see what part Black History had in Montana history.  I found that for a few months in 1894, a newspaper, The Colored Citizen, was published in Helena Montana.  By reading through the pages of that publication, I gained a knowledge of how the African Americans of that era lived in Helena, and other parts of the region.  The following are a few excerpts from the September 3, 1894 edition of The Colored Citizen. 

"WHY WE WANT A PAPER.
It has been asked why do we wish

 to draw the color line and issue a paper

devoted to the interests of the

colored citizen? The question answers

itself. Why do the Germans,

Scandinavians and other nationalities

have their own organs? So it is with

the Afro-American, he can be

reached and convinced quicker and

better through a paper of his own.

Every people have modes peculiar to

themselves and the Afro-American is

not an exception to the rule. Then

we have a race pride that has clung

to us from generation to generation,

that time cannot eliminate."

“Helena has had a colored policeman for the past six years. W. O. Irvin, our present representative on the force, is serving his second term to the complete satisfaction of all classes of citizens.” 

“A female barber is one of the boasts of Helena Mrs. Mollie Millen is the proprietor of one of the nicest and snuggest tonsorial parlors in this city and she has a lucrative trade numbering among her patrons many of our best citizens male and female. She is rated as one of the most expert handlers of the razor in the city and her haircuts are tasty and fashionable. We challenge our exchanges to name another colored female barber.”

“A female barber is one of the boasts of Helena Mrs. Mollie Millen is the proprietor of one of the nicest and snuggest tonsorial parlors in this city and she has a lucrative trade numbering among her patrons many of our best citizens male and female. She is rated as one of the most expert handlers of the razor in the city and her haircuts are tasty and fashionable. We challenge our exchanges to name another colored female barber.”

“A colored dentist in the person of Dr. J. Brister is one of our valuable accessions within the past few months. Dr. Hrister is associated with one of the oldest and best dentists most skillful and painstaking which no doubt accounts for the lucrative practice he has so speedily secured.”