Our Hairstory.

Historically,

Hair has held significant roles in traditional African societies, including being a part of the language and communication system. One of the unique features of African textured hair is its ability to be sculpted and molded into various shapes and forms.  Overtime with the Colonization of the Africans, Europeans deemed African hair unattractive and did not consider it to be hair at all; for them, it was considered the fur of animals and was referred to as wool or woolly. Instead of acknowledging its uniqueness, Black hair is described in pejorative terms. Words such as peppercorn, matted and woolly, remain in the lexicon of people in the US, Africa, the Caribbean and worldwide, to describe Black hair. This resulted in the racialization of Black hair in that tightly coiled tresses were considered deplorable when pitted against the long, straight European hair that was considered beautiful and attractive. Due to centuries of persecution and oppression, Africans began to believe that lighter skin and straighter hair would assist them in attaining social and economic mobility. Consequently, the 19th century saw an increase in hair care and beauty product lines that were intended to lighten darker skin and straighten “nappy” hair.

Reference: Hair It Is: Examining the Experiences of Black Women with Natural Hair, Tabora A. Johnson1, Teiahsha Bankhead: 2014

Today:

The media continues to promote a white perception of beauty that only recognizes white skin with straight long hair as beautiful, from movies, several Disney characters, to Barbie dolls on store shelves worldwide. There is a disproportionate number of Black imagery in the media, and if so, these images are closer to those with white or light skin than that of dark skin with thick hair.  

This traumatizing phenomenon coupled with its socio-cultural, historic, and spiritual relevance has resulted in a hyper-awareness of hair for Black men and women, but in particular Black women and girls. Some Black girls view their hair as difficult, unattractive, unworthy of care, and parents often expressed the long hours it takes to comb and style their daughters'/Black girls' hair; and the expensive products needed to do so. 

BiM will provide a space where Black girls will learn to love their natural hair, love themselves, learn to take care of their hair and embrace the flexibility that is called tight curls. It will be a safe space where Black positive images will be reinforced in order to strengthen Black children’s and girls’ self-esteem and provide the proper education for parents to continue this positive reinforcement at home.

References: Hair It Is: Examining the Experiences of Black Women with Natural Hair, Tabora A. Johnson1, Teiahsha Bankhead: 2014).