A Summary Of Hair Story

Byrd, A., & Tharps, L. (2014). Hair story: Untangling the roots of black hair in America. In the early west african societies many of these cultures use hair as a symbol of aestheticism ,pride and Tradition. They would use things such as bead and elaborate braiding styles to show glorification as to who they are as people. Hair was used as a language system that could display if someone is married , age, religion, ethnic identity , and rank within the community . Each tribe and group of people had their own unique style of braiding techniques and patterns . You could easily distinguish a person based upon their hair styles . Hair was also used to represent where a person is from . In Nigeria the Kuramo people would wear a coiffure
with a shaved head: In the wolof culture in senegal girls who were not able to marry wore shaved heads to symbolize their unavailability . If you were a widow you would not do your hair and would not brush it or comb it because kept hair was a symbol of beauty and as a widow you are not suppose to appeal to other men. In almost all west african cultures if you would not maintain your hair in a certain way ,it would be seen as hatred toward the opposite sex. In all of these cultures there are hairstyles intended for particular situations . Men would wear their hair in braided hair do’s that go up to show that they are warriors and preparing to die . Men and women of status would show their status of power with these hairstyles that only royalty could wear . Along with that Kings, queens and chiefs would wear particular hats,headpieces and crowns that would be made up of precious jewels that would be mounted on braids. Hair contributed a lot to the aesthetics of the african women . Africa men admired and respected thick,coarse long hair . A women who obtained those qualities within her hairstyle the village people seen her as one who was prosperous and had endless beauty . Hairdressers were very prominent within communities and seen as the most trustworthy. In these societies important hairstyles that needed to be executed with grace , hairdressers took time to wash,comb take care of the health of the hair . Adding the elaborate beadings and styles was a job that was the most important and hairdressers were seen as jewels in the communities .Hair was also seens as a spiritual guide . Many west african people believed that the spirit nestled in the hair and served as a great medicine . The cameroonian people used hair to adorn vessels and would use it to add potency to the medicine . Hair was more than just hair in western african societies . It was a symbol of many things and a language that needed no words but it was spoken with so much poise . Throughout the centuries many african men and women kept the tradition of hair and the preciseness of these hairstyles through each generation . This helped them maintain their sense of self and appreciation of where they came from. In the beginning of the sixteenth century when many dominate European countries began to imperialize the rest of the world by taking new territories , they soon began to realize that they needed labor workers . While many europeans already traded things like fabrics ,foods and minerals with West africans they also began to trade human cargo. With the growing territories in the caribbean and south america, europeans exploited this opportunity and began to take west africans from the coast and use them as labor workers . When slaves were taken the first thing they would do is cut of the hair of the africans which to them is apart of their identity . In the west African culture cutting off your hair is an unspeakable crime and you would be looked down upon and shunned. This was only the first part of the europeans wiping out part of the identity of the enslaved africans. Slaves were forced to work odd hours of the day and night with not a lot of nutrition ,therefore they had no time to care for their appearance let alone their hair . Over time through brainwashing mechanisms African slaves forgot how to maintain their own hair . The didn't have any the traditional tools used by the west african people and they didn't have the knowledge of their own hair. Many african men would just cut their hair and the women would try to use tools that were often used to care for animals for their hair . This would lead to many scalp diseases that would cause baldness, lice , infected scalps and ring worms. DA, S., & PMC, E. (1988). Disorders of the hair and scalp in blacks. Dermatologic Clinics, 6(3), 387–395 Many enslaved women were under a lot of stress, fear and trauma , from rape and fear of children , husbands and other family members being taken away from them.
Malnutrition, stress,trauma and ignorance of their own hair played a big role into how black people who were enslaved started to treat their own hair . The slave women who were nannies,cooks,seamstresses and maid often had hair styles that mocked their white counterparts . The styles then were bigwigs or a hairstyle that required your hair to be crowned and shaped going back .This wasn’t a natural way fro hair to be worn as a women of color but it was the only style that they know of and the only style that was seen as presentable . Since then enslaved africans were forced to assimilate and be a part of a culture that isn’t their own .With the standard of beauty that isn’t our own being pushed nationally, it puts pressure onto black people to fit the standards of beauty in order to be considered beautiful. Throughout american history black women have been told they have to look a certain way, act a certain way and most of all embrace a way a life that isn’t their own in order to be to be accepted. For a long time black men and women have been taking extreme health risk to make themselves more appealing to the public to satisfy society. The media that was controlled by white people often portrayed black features as inferior to whites and even went as far as calling black hair wool causing the dehumanization of black hair. The media often used black face and cartoons to show black women as unattractive and their behavior as almost animal like . The offspring of interracial relationships would usually have lighter skin and hair with soft curls . Those people were treated better in society and had better treatment than blacks with kinky hair. Mulattos would usually have better treatment, better access to education and a ticket of acceptance in society . Many mixed kids had looser curl patterns but
not all . Many boys would cut off their hair and girls would cover up their hair to get rid of the genetic identifier that would make them look less black. This was easily internalized by darker skinned people and unknowingly promoting self-hate within themselves and their communities by trying to change and shifts their hair textures. This internalization is something that blacks not only put on themselves but inevitably put on their kids and future generations to come. After slavery ended black culture was already established and prominent with food, language, music and art of their own . But along with that black people already enforced the term good hair and light skinned into the culture. With the use of hair perms women of color were now able to get the straight hair look chemically with the use of perms so they could be seen with having “good hair”. Perms are by far one of the most crucial and dangerous hair products on the market that are used daily by black people. Invented by Garrett augustus morgan Sr, perms became a popular trend trend among black people both men and women during that period. Perms are traditionally made up of lye,hydrogen peroxide and other dangerous chemicals that when combined these chemicals can eat through even the toughest of metals . Perms were used for black people who had coarse hair assimilate better into a white society during that time . This helped black women get jobs and help them look more presentable in the workplace and young black girls look appropriate for school . Hair Perms were also used to achieve one of the prominent hairstyles amongst bo and women .The press and curl one of the most notable hairstyle for black women in the 1960’s with the help of the perm. With the recent trend of black women beginning to care of their natural hair without relaxers they still face many social scrutiny. Where if a women of a tighter curl pattern are being put down with negative stereotypes and derogatory terms like “Nappy” .Meanwhile a woman who has a looser curl pattern or the closest to straight are seen as girls with “good hair” . While both are curly hair one is put down more and overlooked and one is being praised more than the other. Girls who are black and have loose curl patterns are often confused with a different racial group or being of mixed race. Ideals like these shows the oppressive and ignorant views society have against black people in general . These ideals that looser har patterns and straight hair is better, is something that is still enforced today.By doing this we are only perpetuating myths about black hair instead of debunking these myths and oppressing women of color. Society praises Women who fits or exceeds society’s standards of women which can be lighter skin and lighter eyes and slim bodies and whose hair is straighter and Other times shaming women who do not fit these standards targeting a specific race of people. While this has some women practicing self hate within themselves and their communities ,beauty industries are making money off of them. Women spend billions of money yearly on straight hair extensions so they could have a certain look . This is a step up from the perm and hair bleach but it still shy’s away from the bigger picture of self acceptance . In the midst of ignorance of ourselves and society standards we have to realize that if we aren’t happy and comfortable with ourselves then this all means nothing. We are key to the improvement of the social order and standards so we can then create our own standards.