Dixie Pharr Barber

Dixie Barber – Supervisor of Elections for 24 years is interviewed by Jean Yothers on April 14, 1975 for the Friends of the Orlando Public Library’s Oral History Committee.

While Dixie Barber was well known for serving as Supervisor of Elections for 24 years (and for marrying into the famous Barber family) she was also known for her “Dixie Band.”

Letter from Dixie Barber from the 1962-1963 issue of the Orlando Negro Chamber of Commerce business directory.

For many years she organized group tours to the North Carolina mountains to see the autumn colors, with so many persons interested in the first tour she had to charter two Greyhound buses.

This image comes from an article (“The Dixie Band”) published in the October / November 1974 issue of Central Scene magazine and can be found along with other articles and images in the Biography vertical files at the Orlando Public Library.

Letter from Dixie Barber in the 1967-1968 issue of the Orlando Negro Chamber of Commerce business directory.

Part 1: Dixie arrives in Orlando (1921); Meets Katz Barber, her husband; Mizell feud; Phar family; Conway area; Store; dead son; Education.

Part 2: Katz Barber; Started working in the Registration office; first campaign; Arthur Newell; Sunday afternoon rides; Worst election campaign (1968).

Part 3:  Knitting; Needlepointing; Parakeets; Annual bus trip to North Carolina; Six different locations; (Mini theater); Dixie’s Barber Shop.

We are grateful for the Orange County Regional History Center‘s making this recording available for Orlando Memory.

Listen to interviews with more Orlando pioneers.