Great Linkage: A Brief History of Our Hair

I read this article and I thought it was great. It really gives a brief in-depth look on our hair, hair growth, our ancestors hair practices, and so much more.

If you have time click the link {HERE} and check it out. You won't regret it :-)

The History of Our Hair: Angela Davis

We have about a week left in Black History month and you know I had to feature Angela Davis.

Angela Davis is a political activist. Her most popular era of activism was from the late 1960s to the 1970s. She is linked to the Black Panther Party and the Civil Rights Movement. She is also a scholar and author. Click {HERE} for more information on Angela Davis.

A lot of naturals and non-naturals alike associate the afro with Angela Davis. To this day, whenever an afro is being worn people are quick to assume you are part of a political movement--and you may be. However, it is not always wise to make quick judgements simply from a hairstyle.

Also, contrary to popular belief Angela Davis has worn other hairstyles. Of course, if you put in a search for her on the net the first pictures you will find are of her rocking her humongous and glorious afro. But, dig a little deeper and you will find that she was diverse in her styles. Yet, no matter what style you find, she will always be rocking her beautiful natural tresses.

History of Our Hair: Ida B. Wells

In continuing with notable Blacks for Black History Month, I will feature Ida B. Wells.

Ida B. Wells was a noted journalist, women's right advocate, speaker, and against lynching. She was also one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. She has a rich history and it has influenced our lives to this day. It took strong people like her to give us the rights we have today. Click {HERE} for more information about her life.

Pictures of Ida B. Wells always depict her wearing her hair in an elegant updo. I believe she is one of the inspirations behind the pompadours in the natural community to this day. I even wore my hair in this style before. It just goes to show you that some styles will always be classic and timeless.

The History of Our Hair: Harriet Tubman (1820-1913)

I love looking at pictures from the past. Especially pictures of black women from the past. It gives me a brief glimpse into their lives--what they wore, how their hair was styled, etc.

Tuesday marked the beginning of Black History Month. I know this sounds cliche but, I don't celebrate Black History one month a year. I celebrate it year round. To start off my celebration of notable Blacks in History I will begin with the great Harriet Tubman.

I am sure most people have heard about Harriet Tubman. She was one of the key leaders of the Underground Railroad, which was a network that helped many African-Americans gain their freedom. Harriet Tubman is known for saying that she "never lost a passenger". Not only was Harriet Tubman a key figure in the Underground Railroad, she also took up other causes such as women's suffrage. She was truly a great woman.

Most photos of Harriet Tubman show her wearing one of two styles. She was either wearing a head scarf--which we women sometimes wear to this day. Or she would wear her natural hair in a signature center part. Even in the photo of her in her last years she still had her center part in her beautiful head of natural fully gray hair. Simply marvelous.

Interesting Fact: As an adolescent she was hit in her head with a 2 pound weight in her head. She feels that the reason she lived through it was because of her hair, which "had never been combed...".

The HIstory of Our Hair: Black Woman late 1800s

So, while browsing the Web I came across this picture of a Black woman from the late 1800s. It is interesting to see how the women from the past wore their natural tresses.

I noticed that this unknown woman wore her hair in some sort of popadour updo and accesorized the look with a fancy hat. She looks simply elegant. I am not sure about the history of this photo or the woman in the photo. However, she does look affluent.

The History of Our Hair

Whenever I look at old photos of Blacks I am constantly fascinated about the evolution of our hair. In the 1800s, I notice that most Blacks were wearing their hair in their natural texture. Yet, the hair was usually pulled back/pinned up in some form or fashion.

Next came the era of the pressing comb by Madame C.J. Walker. This sparked the age of Blacks wearing their hair straightened and loosely curled. I would have to say that the straight hair is the look that has lasted the longest in the Black community.

The hair evolved from the afro, to the conk, to the jheri curl, to the relaxers, to the extensions, to the extension braids, to the new edgy 'dos, and so much more. We can see that Black hair is constantly experiencing innovative and new ideas.

However, I have a curiosity about our hair even before the 1800s. I want to view the different hairstyles from different African tribes. I want to see the hairstyles from the ancient civilizations. I want to the hairstyle of the slaves in American. I want to see every aspect of our hair. Why? Simply because I want to see where we have come from and where we are going.

I understand that I can't find this information in one day or even one week. It is for this reason that this will be a continuing segment. I will continue to post pics and details of the different hairstyles that I have discovered. To kick off this segment, below are a few pics showing the evolution of our hair.
This is a sculpture of Queen Tiye, the wife of one of the greatest Pharoahs, Amen-Hetep III. The sculpture seems to show her great hair texture with some sort of headband/crown. Era: 1415 BC - 1340 BC
This is the slave Juno (Waller)Seymor. I have noticed that most slave women wore their hair under wraps/scarves. Era: 1853
This is a photo of Portia Washington, the daughter of Booker T. Washington. Her hair is pinned up, however I can't really see the texture of it. Era: Around Late 1800s early 1900s.
This is a photo of Tuskegee's Nursing Graduates. There is a wide variety of hairstlyes in this photo. Yet, they are all pinned up. Era: Around Late 1800s or early 1900s.


I will continue with more pictures in the future. I just wanted to give an initial idea about the different hairstyles we have worn over the years.