For many years, Black hair has been at the center of many political debates about what should "allowed" within workplaces, schools, and other "respectable settings". These conversations often leave out the voices of the subjects whose freedom is at stake, with many being immediately impacted by the anti-Black policy that seeks to strip them of their personal expression. On the other side of these conversations are the thousands, perhaps millions of Black girls who have sat (un)comfortably in the spaces between the knees of a family hair braider, waiting hours for the intricate work of a self-taught hair stylist to be complete. Or the Black women who in recent history, have migrated into the leather seats of beauty shops and kitchen salons, watching time tick by as they await their turn. From pre-colonial Africa, to enslavement, and across the Diaspora, Black hair has been a site of creativity, strategy and resistance. For so many Black women & girls, their hair has been a source of pride, a canvas for them to express their innermost desires and creativities; and while many outside of the Black hair community have been focused on its "proper" maintenance and presentation, Black women & girls have fought to maintain their autonomy and individuality, using unique hair measures to express themselves and fight back against anti-Black policies and restrictions.

In the 21st century, Youtube, TikTok, and Instagram have become highly profitable creative spaces, affording thousands of Black women influencers the opportunity to reclaim the beauty in the natural hair by teaching others about the diversity of styling, maintenance and culture origins. Many Black women have made wholesome and fulfilling careers by showing others how to love, care and style their precious locs. Yet and still, while some Black hairstyles have been glorified and imitated, they have simultaneously been disparaged in a world where European standards of beauty have been maintained across decades. African derived phenotypes (i.e. tightly curled hair, dark skin, thick lips, etc.) and have been devalued and Black people have fought to reclaim ownership, autonomy and glory over their hair and its magic. 

In this course, students will be explore the history, culture, and sociology of “Black hair.” They'll explore the invention and modification of creative hair techniques and products made for grooming and for the artistic, social and political expression of Black hair throughout history. As we engage with music, dance, and other forms of Black cultural production, students will come to understand just how hair and personal styling have become such an important aspect of the Black experience in America and around the world. 

Week 1: History of Black Hair: The Origins of Hairstyles, Tignon Laws, etc.
Week 2: Texturism, Colorism, Respectability & Racism: The War Against Black Women & Girls' Hair
Week 3: Hair Across The Diaspora
Week 4: The Art of Black Hair + Present Day Considerations 


Students will receive a complimentary PDF entitled 'The Beauty of Black Hair' that outlines age appropriate further reading and exploration topics, along with a database of Black Haircare influencers, brands and styles.