On a bone-chilling winter day, I journeyed on the Tube from east to south London, specifically to the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton. This was part of my research for my 2019 book, Don’t Touch My Hair. As I emerged from the Underground, a woman in her early forties, sporting a striking platinum-blonde wig, tapped me on the shoulder. ‘Your hair is beautiful, natural; it’s uplifting to see,’ she remarked. Reflecting on this encounter in my book, I described how such moments make my heart soar. I continue to cherish these interactions, celebrating the unity within the Black community that fosters mutual appreciation, particularly for features we’ve been conditioned to dislike.
Upon my arrival at the Archives, however, I was met with starkly contrasting sentiments; the very attitudes that had shaped my lifelong feelings about my hair. While flipping through some Nineties magazines, a headline caught my eye: ‘Who lets you down – you or your hair?’ This phrase, originating from a 1991 edition of Black Beauty and Hair, appeared in an advertisement for haircare products aimed at Black individuals. Instantly, anxiety gripped me, evoking memories of my childhood disdain for my hair, which had deeply impacted my self-worth.
As I continued my exploration of the media and marketing surrounding Black hair from that era, I repeatedly encountered the prevailing perspective of the time: our hair was often perceived as a problem, something to be fixed or even ‘cured’ through harsh treatments. The advertisements depicted a ‘battleground of chemically damaged hair… a realm filled with shame and punitive measures,’ as I elaborated in my book. My recollections of many of these products evoke feelings of disillusionment and unattainable beauty standards.
The perceptions surrounding Black hair serve as a microcosm reflecting wider societal attitudes towards Black individuals. Dating back to the transatlantic slave trade, when European colonizers stripped Black people of their humanity to rationalize the mass abduction and enslavement of millions, our hair has faced relentless stigma. During the early stages of slavery, Afro-textured hair was derogatorily compared to wool, a tactic aimed at dehumanizing Black individuals by likening them to animals. These harmful views persisted even after slavery ended, deeply affecting how Black people were perceived in society.