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Walter Modesty

Sepia-toned black and white archival photograph of a man from the waist up. He is wearing a hat and suit and smiling slightly at the camera.

Source: SC Modiste

Date: Unknown

After working as a porter, Walter Modesty had various jobs. These included running a successful barber shop that was staffed by all female barbers. It soon became a hub for the Black community in Toronto. He also blocked hats in his barbershop, which was located across the street from City Hall. SC Modiste reports that her mother remembers Walter working on the mayor’s hats.