Oakland’s First African American Cab Driver

Exhibit at the African American History Library Oakland

Phillip Richard Springer (1874-1952) was the first black man in Oakland to own a taxicab. He was born in Barbados, in the British West Indies, and left home at age 16. At first, he operated under a jitney permit in Oakland, but he later had the license changed to a taxicab permit. By 1915, Springer’s Cab Company was well established. The Pullman Porters and West Oakland

Phillip Springer
Phillip R. Springer – date unknown

Phillip lived at various addresses in West Oakland.

1916

In the 1917 directory, he is listed at 835 Union Street with chauffeur as his occupation.

In the 1925 directory, he is listed along with his wife Edna at 879 Campbell Street with a taxi cab driver as his occupation.

From 1927 until he died in 1952, he lived at 957-35th Street with his family. The 1930 census reports that he owned his home and was a taxi cab driver at his own stand.

Phillip Springer
The Springer Home from 1927-at least 1952
957- 35th Street – Google Maps
Oakland Tribune 1952

A Family Business

Helaine Springer Head knows the taxicab business inside out. That’s because she grew up in it. Her late father, Phillip Springer, was the

“the first black man to own and operate his own taxi business – Springer Cab – in Oakland in the early 1900s”

Helene Springer Head 1975

Before Springer died in 1952, he gave his wife and daughter a crash course in running the business, as it was up to them to carry on. They ran the company out of the family home on 35th Street.

Oakland Tribune

Eventually, Helaine decided to strike out independently and acquired City Cab in 1964. She started with two cabs, and by 1975 she had three.

Oakland Tribune 1964
Oakland Tribune May 13, 1975
Oakland Tribune 1972

More Info:

The End

7 thoughts on “Oakland’s First African American Cab Driver

  1. Hi Jake

    This is a local blog I follow. She writes in the first person and shares down to earth stories. Here’s how she started. https://abitofhistory.website/2017/09/16/first-blog-post/?wref=tp

    Peace & Resistance

    Mark Corbett Wilson

    “In a world of change, the learners shall inherit the earth, while the learned shall find themselves perfectly suited for a world that no longer exists.” ~ Eric Hoffer

    On Sun, Feb 23, 2020 at 4:19 AM A Bit of History wrote:

    > oaklanddots posted: “Phil R Springer The Pullman Porters and West Oakland > Phillip Richard Springer (1874-1952) was the first black man in Oakland to > own a taxicab. He was born in Barbados, in the British West Indies and left > home at age 16. At first he operated under a jitney” >

  2. I love all the Oakland history. I was born in Oakland attended Crocker Highlands, McChesney Junior high (now Edna Brewer) and Oakland High School. My mother was born in Oakland 1922 and graduated from Oakland High and Stanford University. She could tell us lots of history of Oakland. Still living in Bay Area.

Leave a Reply