African Americans’ Contributions to U.S. Cigar History
When discussing the history of cigars in America, much of the focus is often placed on Cuban influences or European craftsmanship. However, African Americans played a significant yet often overlooked role in shaping the U.S. cigar industry—through labor, culture, and activism.
1. The Harlem Renaissance & Cigar Culture
During the 1920s and 1930s, cigars became a symbol of status and sophistication in African American intellectual, business, and artistic circles.
Black Intellectuals & Cigar Culture – Figures like W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, and Marcus Garvey were often photographed with cigars, reinforcing their association with power and refinement.
Jazz Culture & Cigars – Many Black musicians, including Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, were known for their love of cigars, helping to solidify their place in jazz nightlife and club culture.
Cigars in Speakeasies & Clubs – During Prohibition, Black-owned speakeasies and nightclubs often had cigar lounges, attracting both Black and white clientele.
2. Labor Activism & Union Involvement: The Charleston Cigar Strike
The Charleston Cigar Strike (1945-1946) was a major labor movement led by African American cigar workers at the American Tobacco Company’s Cigar Factory in Charleston, South Carolina.
Named after the city where it took place, this strike involved one of Charleston’s largest tobacco-processing plants, where cigar stemmers and rollers—most of them Black women—walked out to protest low wages, racial discrimination, and poor working conditions.
The strike was organized and led primarily by Black women, who comprised the majority of the factory workforce. They received support from the Food, Tobacco, Agricultural, and Allied Workers Union (FTA-CIO) as they fought for higher wages, since Black workers were paid significantly less than their white counterparts, as well as better working conditions in response to unsafe environments and unfair treatment. They also demanded union recognition and protection from employer retaliation. The strike began in October 1945 and lasted for six months, concluding in April 1946. While the strikers secured some wage increases, union recognition remained an ongoing struggle. Despite this, the strike became a significant moment in labor and civil rights history, influencing future movements for racial and economic justice.
The next time you light a cigar, remember the hidden history behind it. African Americans helped shape the craft, culture, and labor movements of cigars in America.