Davenport & Harris Funeral Home

Davenport and Harris Funeral Home Incorporated was established in September 12, 1899 and is the oldest African American family owned and operated business in the State of Alabama. In 1893, Charles M. “Boss” Harris married Mattie Bell Saffold of Selma, Alabama. Later in that same year, Charles, who had by now earned the nickname “Boss,” moved with his new bride and his sister Hattie to Birmingham. Upon arrival, he began operation of a general store located at 22nd Street and 3rd Avenue North.

Recognizing the need for affordable and dignified burial services, Charles expanded his business to include a funeral parlor, initially called the Charles M. Harris Undertaking Company. At this early stage of the operation, bread was sold in one section of the store while caskets were sold in another. It quickly became obvious that Birmingham’s black community had more of a need for quality funeral services than for another general store. So it was on September 12, 1899, that Charles and his sister, Hattie C. Davenport, founded Davenport and Harris Funeral Home, Inc.