Chapter 17: If I am Not my Hair, Who am I?: African American Girls and Their Hair
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Published:2016
Gwendolyn Webb-Hasan, Chanda Elbert, Victoria Carter Jones, 2016. "If I am Not my Hair, Who am I?: African American Girls and Their Hair", Cultivating Achievement, Respect, and Empowerment (CARE) for African American Girls in PreK- 12 Settings: Implications for Access, Equity and Achievement, Patricia J. Larke, Webb-Hasan Gwendolyn, Jemimah L. Young
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The issue of “hair” in the female African American community is pervasively political. This issue continues to evolve in a society of perceptions that evoke thoughts that flow from perplexing and painful to pretty and profound. Discusons of “Black” hair can be paralyzing and empowering, especially in the context of schools when one considers the imperative to facilitate the effective education of African American girls. While there is a push in society and schools to objectify the importance of hair, it is a very important matter among African American girls, their mothers, their families, and the African American community. This chapter explores the history of African American hair and its impact on the identity development and academic development among African American girls in the context of school.
If I Am Not My Hair, Who Am I?
Scenario
(Four friends talking)
Girl, bye, I’m getting my hair done today. School starts next week and I am gon’ to look good on the first day!”
Your Mama said you can get your hair did? I know that’s right. I am going to look good to girl!
How are you going to get your hair did girl?
I wish I could get extenons like my Mama. But she said I am too young to get tracks. So, I’m going to get mini braids and my hair is going to be hanging down my back. I will be able to put it in a pretty roll on top of my head, or I can let if fly like a mighty storm, as I walk down the hall!
What kind you gonna get, like Beyonce or Rihanna?
I am going to get them styled like Beyonce, but my Mama said I too young to get them blond. She thinks that is too much, but you better know, I am going to look good when we go back to school!
Well, my Granny said, I am going to be fried dyed and laid to the side! I am getting my touch-up tonight. I hope that lady doesn’t burn me again, but I have not had one for three months. Girl I will be bouncing and behaving when I walk down the halls at school. Look how much my hair done grown this summer. Mama said I needed a rest from that perm, but I been putting my conditioner in, so my hair will be ready. I am going to wear it down and I am going to flow like Beyonce too, but when she wears her hair straight!!!
My Mama says I need to take care of my hair before I start putting anything in it. So she is still making me wear my hair in ponytails. I keep telling her, I am going to fifth grade and it is time for me to step up my game. But, I got some red cute ponytail holders and barrettes when we went school shopping. I learned how to do all kind of hair parting patterns this summer. I might have to wear ponytails, but I convinced my Mamma, so I can have some tessellations in my hair. You remember what we learned in math in fourth grade? It’s going to be so pretty. I been drawing my patterns of shapes!
Girl you are so crazy. You always have to bring school into everything we do. But I know you are going to look good, cause you got “good” hair. I need all the help I can get.
How are you going to get your hair done Daliyah?
My momma said I don’t need those chemicals in my hair. She says our hair is beautiful just the way it is.
So girl, what you gon’ do with that?
Girl I can wear two-strand twists. I can get a twist-out. I can even wear a funky Afro. I look just like my Mama when I wear my Fro.’ She showed me a picture when she was in elementary and high school. I think I am going to start with the two-strand twist for the first day. Me and my Momma have been practicing this summer. We even been reading about the history of natural hair. We got a history girl! I am going to not only look good the first day of school, I am going to look good everyday. It is just like India Arie said, “I am not my hair.”
My Mama loves that song too. As much as she likes India Arie, she must not get it, I am my hair, cause it is important that we look good everyday!!!
There you go, mixing stuff up again Nequa. Remember she said: Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
Ooh, we sound so good together! But I still say even if I am not my hair, I am gon’ whip my hair like Willow Smith in her video girl. I ‘m gon’ look good in this hair!!! (as she whips her hair).
