SLAUGHTER, HOWARD SILAS, SR. (19 Oct. 1890-15 June 1936) was a funeral director, embalmer, founder and president of Slaughter Funeral Home, Inc., one of the earliest African-American funeral businesses established in Cleveland.
Born in Urbana, Ohio, to Hugh Campbell and Clara (Wills) Slaughter, Howard attended public school in Urbana. He first entered the funeral business in 1911 when he went to work as a manager for J. WALTER WILLS, SR. in the undertaking firm of J. Walter Wills & Sons in Cleveland. Slaughter graduated from The Cleveland Training School for Embalmers on 17 Jan. 1914. He was licensed by the Ohio State Board of Embalming Examiners on 26 Feb. 1914.
In 1915 Slaughter and his two brothers opened their first funeral home under the name Slaughter Bros., funeral directors and embalmers, at 3839 Central Avenue. Howard Slaughter was a member of the board and president of the Slaughter Bros. firm.
Slaughter eventually assumed control of the entire Slaughter Bros. firm and, in 1926, he purchased and remodelled property at 2165 East 89th Street to accommodate his new business, Slaughter Funeral Home, Inc., of which he served as president. It was the Slaughter Funeral Home that E. F. Boyd purchased following Slaughter's death, becoming the E. F. BOYD & SON FUNERAL HOME.
Slaughter was a member of the National Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association.
Slaughter married Ruby A. Yates on 3 June 1913. They had 2 children, Howard Jr. and Ruby C. Slaughter belonged to the MT. ZION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. He is buried in Highland Park Cemetery.