Ruth’s Beauty Parlor

Listed in the Negro Travelers’ Green Book from 1939 to 1941, Ruth’s was one of six Columbia area beauty parlors listed in the Jim Crow era travel guide during its history.  Opened in the late 1930s by Mrs. Ruth Collins (Perry), daughter of two successful Black entrepreneurs, the salon remained in operation intermittently until the 1990s.  Mrs. Perry, known to Waverly residents as “Mama P,” often encouraged local youth to study history, set goals, and persevere.