My journey into the cultural history of Black hair in America began in the 1600s, with the arrival of enslaved Africans. As the first enslaved individuals were brought to America, their hair became an important part of their identity, survival, and resistance. From the forced conformity to European beauty standards to the emergence of unique Black hairstyles, this story traces how Black hair evolved over centuries, shaping both cultural expression and identity.
As I moved through the decades, I focused on the social environment and how the hairstyles within the Black community reflected the cultural and political shifts of each period. From the sleek, straightened styles of the early 1900s, influenced by mainstream beauty standards, to the bold and unapologetic Afros of the 1960s and 1970s during the Civil Rights Movement, each hairstyle told a unique story. The styles evolved in response to social changes, from the Harlem Renaissance's embrace of natural textures to the rise of the modern Black hair care industry in the 1980s. Through these changing hairstyles, I explored how Black individuals used their hair as a form of self-expression, resistance, and pride, reflecting both personal identity and broader cultural shifts.
