Frank Hendricks, undated photograph
Frank Hendricks founded and operated Hendrick's Auto Body Shop, the first African-American automotive store in the C-U area, in 1941. He moved to Champaign-Urbana in 1932. He retired from his business in 1975.
The following comes an 1983 portrait of Hendricks:
"Mr. Hendricks came to Champaign from his home in Columbia, Mississippi, in 1931 looking for work as "a body and fender man." He first worked at White Motor Sales before opening hi, own business, Hendricks Body Shop, at 602 East Vine (now a vacant lot) in 1941. At the time Mr. Hendricks recalls, "They said a Black mall couldn't do this type of work. There was no other Black body shop between here and Chicago. This was the first one in this town, I know." He is most proud that he was "able to keep my shop going for all these years - for 42 years."
Frank Hendricks, 1983
