For years, African-American women have had to choose whether to leave their hair natural or to wear relaxers. This is because the notion that straight hair is the only socially acceptable choice has been ingrained in many black women since childhood. So much so, that many young girls automatically assume that a relaxer is a part of growing up. They don’t even entertain the notion of just caring for and wearing their locks the way that they were created. They view the “first perm” as right of passage, never even questioning the reason why they desire to change their hair texture.
Why does this happen? The media has a lot to do with it. Black women are typically seen with long, straight, flowing hair. Until recently, women who chose to go natural were often portrayed as eccentric. Or they were dismissed as being afrocentric. Also, some biased beliefs dating back to slavery still survive today. During that period of bondage, African-American hair was viewed as dirty and unkempt. So, many blacks were shamed by their hair and eventually found ways to change its state. After awhile, it just became the social norm for black women to have relaxed hair.
This has caused natural black hair to be viewed as an oddity. Often, a woman who chooses to maintain her true texture is considered to be going against the grain. Some even believe that this type of hair is not appropriate in the business world. Thankfully, there are laws in place to protect from this type of discrimination. But that hasn’t changed the negative perception that many have of African hair.
This was not always the case. For a brief period in history during the 1960’s -1970’s, natural hair became a source of cultural pride. The Civil Rights Movement caused many to esteem their heritage, including their locks. It was common for men and women to wear afros or other natural styles. However, as the Movement died down so did these displays of diverse African-American hairdos. Many returned to using chemicals or heat on their tresses to achieve a straighter look.
But today the tide is once again changing. Many women of African descent are returning to their natural roots. In recent years it has become more and more common to see blacks on television with cornrows, braids, afros, and many other culturally unique hairstyles. Women such as Macy Gray, Erykah Badu, and Kim Fields-Freeman wear their hair unapologetically.
And what is there to be sorry for anyway? It would be odd for Caucasians or other ethnicities to feel inferior because they were born with straight hair. After all, it’s natural for their hair to grow that way. That should also be the prevailing attitude regarding African textured hair. The way it grows out of scalp is the way it was designed to be. And once again many black women are realizing this fact and embracing what’s naturally theirs.
Author: Serfronya Wallace
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I am thrilled to read this article. As a mother of a 15 year old who has not only embraced the beauty of her natural hair, also embraces the real root of Soul Music. My daughter is continually looking for ways to wear her natural hair and loves the 70′ and 80′ hair concepts. It’s amazing that when she wears her Afro… whites are always asking how she got her hair that way? They want to touch it, and some have said they wish they could get their to do that. I wish our youth would embrace the beauty of their hair texture. I am sooo afraid we will become, or genetically ruin our hair structure for the future…..let’s face it.. chemicals are harsh. Thanks for the opportunity to voice! God Bless
You’re absolutely right Kathy. I think we have become victims of the typical image of ‘American Beauty’, when in fact, African Americans have a timeless beauty that solely belongs to us.
The natural texture of our hair is looked down upon because it’s the way we were taught. I’m looking forward to our future sons and daughters breaking that mold and showing the world the true beauty of our people.
Kathy, how refreshing! I have recently gone natural after years of chemical treatment. It has been tough because of the limited styles for natural hair. In other words, beauticians don’t know what to do with it. Most want to straighten natural hair with a hot comb. But, I can tell you that I absolutely love my natural hair. When washed, it air dries quickly, and hold curl so much better than with a perm. I will not go back to chemicals, and like your 15 year old will continue to look for a style that fits me.
Thank-you for that article. As an African-american hair designer, i have begun a furious search for the best products to enhance our natural, beautiful hair. Someone please tell celebrities like Beyonce and Tyra Banks our natural hair is beautiful and we don’t need celebrities flossing blonde hair weaves making our young girls think this is the only way to look beautiful
I would absolutely love to wear my hair in its natural, but it is
extremely fragile and very difficult to care for. As soon as there
is even a product that makes it easier to comb without a comb full
of my hair, I’ll proudly sport my natural “do”
I wore my hair natural for years, some liked and some didn’t. I didn’t care. It was cost efficient, and I felt liberated from hair bondage. Other words, “THE PERM.
This is a nice post because it truly emphasizes how important and influential the popular media is with everything and anything. The popular media, such as television and movies have a huge impact on how some people perceive that there is “only one way to do it.” The history is great because I don’t think a lot of people know about the history of this, really nice job, William.
I have been wearing my hair natural for 2 years and I love it.. Twist outs were the norm but recently I have embraced the afro. I love my hair and don’t ever want to wear a relaxer again. Someone mentioned that the hair is hard to manage. It’s about perception. You can not do with natural hair what you can do with permed hair. Work with it and find styles that are not ‘difficult’ to achieve and maintain. There are so many! Cornrows, afro, locs, twists, and variations of all these. It is MUCH more versatile than permed hair. You can even straighten it if you are inclined to do so (not me). Trust me…
I grew up wearing perms because my mother thought that it was the best way to tame my unruly hair. Because of this I used to think that I was not beautful unless I had a perm. Then I suffered all of my years as a child with very weak and fragile hair that looked so bad. But one day I took a good looke at my new growth and noticed how good it looked all curly/wavy. Then I was inspired to see many of some of my favorite stars in their natural state and then I had a epiphany. I locked myself up in the restroom and cut my overly processed hair off and flushed it down the toilet where it belonged. It was just something that I needed and desperately wanted to do. I just love my hair natural like it is right now and it’s growing faster than it ever did with a perm. I wish more black celebrities would do this; more black women instead of wearing these blonde straight white women hairdos. There is absolutely nothing wrong with our natural hair. Because I now see how beautiful I truely am, It makes me more proud to be an african american. I wish more of us wasn’t so ashamed to show it off.
I too was in bondage with the perm for years. it always mattered to me thought. however for the last year and half and I have been natural and loving it. I got tired of sitting in a hair shops for hours on hours and dealing with stylist who acted like they were doing you a favor. Paying all that money to look good in the shop, cause Lord knows when you walk out it was over. I love being me.
Thanks for the article
Jay
I love my natural hair. I feel such freedom with it. I don’t have to worry about rain or swimming because it won’t “revert”. Someone mentioned that they wish more black women would be comfortable with their natural hair; I do too, but I can’t help love but being one of the few because I stand out more. Hehehe
I started going natural 4/08 and it is almost a year now. I didn’t cut off all my hair but I am getting it trimmed every month until all of the relaxer is gone. I thought I could not do it but I am loving my natural hair. The relaxers just made my hair thin over time. I also got tired of being at the salons for at least 4 hours or more every time I go. A lot of the hairstylist don’t care about how long they keep you in the shop. Some are all about the dollar and not keeping hair healthy hair. Most don’t even know what a trim is. They trim more than an 1/8 or 1/4. Most don’t even know or care about doing natural hair. Some only love doing your hair when you have weave. I am learning to do my own hair. Use products that work for me. Deep condition my hair the proper way. Some stylist don’t even take the time to deep condition properly and if you want it deep condition you have to pay extra for it. A good hair stylist should do this anyway without extra fees. Really, how much does it take to put a little bit of conditioner or your hair and let you sit under the dryer? Natural is the way for me. I can straighten it with flat irons, braid it, where straw sets and more. Good luck ladies.
Great article…but I am always tickled by the obligatory comment found in most natural hair articles that goes: “Until recently, women who chose to go natural were often portrayed as eccentric. Or they were dismissed as being afrocentric.”
Is there something wrong with being afrocentric? Isn’t one supposed to be ‘centered in self’ to be wholey psychologically intact?
Otherwise, a great and much needed perspective.
I was browsing the internet about natural hair care and ran across this article. I have been naturall now for a year and I can attest to the fact that it is soooo hard to find hair products for natural hair. I am spent so much time and money trying to find atleast one product that works for me. People have advised me to do and use some crazy things. However; I love being natural and could never go back to the life of no-lye and that’s no lie. I have gone to just about every beauty supply store in my city and still couldn’t find anything that worked on my hair. I think that these type of stores should focus a little more on natural hair products and I also think that there should be more natural hair salons. We could really use it.
Hi to my brothers and sistas!, I just want to say I love ya’ll nappiness just the way it came with you in this world. There is beauty all around us. God made us this way. He called it good. Who are others to knock it? I agree with my sista’s comments, we are some beautiful creatures! Nappy and all. Sadly though, I must confess, I haven’t worn my naps in a while, but as long as my roots are nappy, I’m happy! I want to start going natural. My daughter has made the decision to do so as well. I don’t know if I can maintain my natural hair like I use to back in the day. I really don’t like combing through thick hair either. I don’t like the kinks at the ends of nappy hair. But I think I’ll get use to it though. I’ll have to find out how to take care of it. I want it to look nappy but smooth and healthy. Anyone have suggestions on the best product to use to keep nappy hair moisturized?
I also wanted to add that we as a race of people need to start seeing the good in one another and stop being so jealous of one another’s self-esteem. Let’s start embracing one another’s uniqueness, not to say that anyone else’s uniqueness is any better than the other just because it’s different. Let’s boost one another’s self-esteem. And the best way to knock out the negativity is stop it as soon as it starts. Someone negatively comments on a brother or sista’s hair or make up or anything, tell them…demand them not to dump that trash in your beautiful yard! Because that’s all it is is trash! Remind them that little do they know, they’re putting themselves down when they put their brothers and sista’s down. We all have the same struggle to a certain degree. remember who created you, God… and know that He knows best and He knew what he was doing when He created us all.
I’m satisfied He made me who I am, are you? Ya’ll my peeps, I love ya’ll! Respond if you feel what I feel. Live well…
I love my natural hair . I don’t like the perm, it just make us look weird.Our Hair Beautiful ,need no Help from Perm.
Thanks for your article … I love it … It is about time that we truely embraced the beauty of who we are …
I love my natural hair so much I will never perm it again! I had it relaxed for 3 years and it just wasn’t healthy so i cut the ends off 4 years ago. I’m African and here in Africa we face the same issues with our natural hair. Its quite rare to find an African women sporting a natural do in the urban areas. I’ve learnt to care for my hair and style it the way i want.
What i consider really sad is that the white people i’ve encountered just love my hair and always want to touch it. I’ve never gotten a negative comment from them, however, among my fellow African sisters, most always ask me when I’m going to perm it! Strange ha!! If we are not proud of our heritage we shouldn’t expect anyone else to respect us, so we should celebrate our roots and who we are by being us…..natural and proud!
What a wonderful article, I was just with my stylist yesterday and we were discussing the effects of perm neurologically. I have been natural for almost a year and use Ms. Jessie products. I found the creams work best. I also tried wave neuvo which works well on my hair.
After reading this article I now feel I am in good company with the rest of my natural sisters. Thanks for sharing your stories as they are similar to my transformation to being natural.
Hi there,
I just wanted to say what a great article you have written, I came across itwhile looking for natural hair styles…..I have been growing out my hair since April this year. Boy as much as I love it I have found it a journey, one that I have enjoyed and embrassed but know that it is a challenge.
As close as I got to my natural hair was always the 1/2 inch of new growth before I had a retouch….lol
I have found that being real about my hair has allowed to be real about me!! I can only talk for myself but I love the nappy look
Well said. I have become even more comfortable and “show-offy” with my natural hair living in Utah than I did living in Los Angeles. I find it fun and entertaining and liberating to have my hair out and not apologize for it. If only ALL Black women could feel this way RIGHT NOW. It’s not worth it to live life any other way
I keep my hair close to my scalp. Actually, it’s the same haircut the guys rock (President Obama, Puffy, Chris Brown, etc.) and I love it and I look good with it or least I’ve been told. I love this look on me. To each his own! My biggest pet peeve however, is seeing these women with the :jacked-up-weaves.” To me, that’s saying they wish they had long straight hair.
I read the comments, and I too went back to natural. At first, there was a problem trying to keep it straight, when I used the pressing Iron. But I decided not to press it anymore. Now I’m actually loving it.
Thank God for Natural Hair!
See how fast it grows locked!
Make sure you braid your natural fro every night for maximum growth.
Nubia
I really love what you are saying. I really love natural hair. I am still getting mines relaxed however because I like it straight.
From a christian point of view, I strongly believe that the man upstairs made us naturally black and beautiful, I have shamefully used relaxers in the past but have now come to realize that my own natural african hair is very beautiful! So NOMORE relaxers or extensions for me. Black women have to find that pride in themselves again, that black african pride, that is when we won’t even feel offended when people say we’re black or african, you can just turn around and say OH YES I AM, PROUDLY SO!
Great article..
Check out the lyrics to this song and “pop-up” video v to this song called “Black Barbie..”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfEMNNt0sU
1
There was once a girl whose momma wore a curl
So that everybody’d think she had good hair
2
When this girl made 10, her first perm was put in
As she’d walk to school little heads would turn & swirl
Cuz these heads were taught to hate their natural curls
You might like your ice-cream chocolate
Or something in between
But they only seem to push vanilla
On the movie screens
3
There’s this 8th grade kid, whose convinced that white’s the shit
Says he’d never wed a girl as black as him
Gonna find her close to Barbie as he can
You might take your coffee straight black
Or you might prefer cream
But would you hate what’s naturally yours
If you didn’t own a t.v.?
You might like your ice-cream chocolate
Or something in between
But they only advertise vanilla
In their magazines
4
Now the girl from verse 1, she grew up and had a son
And he wonders why his mom has a blonde weave
Momma swears she wears it just to keep Malik
See the boy from verse 3, he found his Black Barbie
© 2004 by Rahi High
True we keep sayiing we are proud if who we are but we want our hair to look white
I think your blog is interesting I found it on Google. Definetely will return again! Best Regards, Whitney
True we keep sayiing we are proud if who we are but we want our hair to look white
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