Paul Lewis (b. 1889 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; d. 1974 in London, Ontario, Canada), was a notable African-American and endearing figure in downtown London, Ontario for nearly 60 years.
Lewis arrived in London in 1914, finding work at White's Barbershop on Dundas Street where his many customers included future big band leader Guy Lombardo and his musical family (The Royal Canadians).
Active in the city's Black community, Lewis became a tru...
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Paul Lewis (b. 1889 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; d. 1974 in London, Ontario, Canada), was a notable African-American and endearing figure in downtown London, Ontario for nearly 60 years.
Lewis arrived in London in 1914, finding work at White's Barbershop on Dundas Street where his many customers included future big band leader Guy Lombardo and his musical family (The Royal Canadians).
Active in the city's Black community, Lewis became a trustee at Beth Emmanuel Church (today, a designated heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act) at 430 Grey Street. He collected funds for the church and served as its choir director, soloist and clarinet player. He also helped organize the Canadian League for the Advancement of Colored Peoples, founded in London in 1925.
After the closure of White's Barbershop in 1948, Lewis took a variety of odd jobs, including work as a janitor at Woolworth's and Silverwood's Dairy. In later life he became a much-sought-after subject for...
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