Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America pg 10-20

SUMMARY

When the African Americans came to the new world they were seen as inferior to Europeans. The Europeans have never seen such a unique hair texture. The new land consisted of pale skin and straight hair, which then deemed African Americans as unattractive. The Europeans believed the Africans Americans did not have real hair they classified it as "wool." Black women began to see themselves as ugly and inferior which allowed them to be controlled easier. When the African came to the new world there hair no longer had the same care, they did not have treasured combs and there long, thick, healthy hair became tangled and matted and also the sun's ray did no help. The future of African hair was changed for ever.

QUOTATION

"The quest for straight hair was often a torturous for obsession for slaves"( Byrd 17).

REACTION

The Africans were beginning to loss there traditions and there costumes and adapting to the American culture. They no longer wanted to have there natural hair and became obsess with straight hair it made them feel a little less inferior.