Is that real?
For much of the Black American experience, we have been encouraged to look as European as possible. So straightening our hair with chemicals or a hot comb was the only way a Black woman could look “presentable” for a long time. If you wanted to be beautiful or have a good job, your hair better looks as not Black as possible.
Natural hair experienced a resurgence during the Civil Rights Era and has continued to grow in popularity. Natural hair is not necessarily a symbol of the wearer’s Black pride, but it is definitely a symbol of accepting our hair as it grows from our heads. Every time I walk into a business meeting with my hair in an afro or a puff, I’m doing something that many generations of Black woman wouldn’t have dared to do.
