Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America (Paperback)

An entertaining, historical, and anecdotal exploration of the history of black hair in America from Africa to the present. Hairstory explores the complex cultural, political, economic, religious, and personal issues surrounding Black women and their hair. It reads as a timeline and includes profiles of major figures such as Madam C. J.Walker, who created a shampoo press and curl method for straightening hair, and other notable personalities. Interviews featuring both black and white americans document the generational shifts in attitudes towards hair styles such as the afro, braids, weaves, and dreadlocks. The authors bring their own unique and dynamic viewpoints to the subject, and expose the myths, secrets, perceptions and emotions of the love/hate relationship Black women have with their hair.