Do you have any stories about black hair?
or
What do you think about black hair?
Story: I never liked my hair growing up. My sisters would say I was adopted because my hair texture was like my dad's side of the family. I would try to make a kitchen in my hair by twirling my hair around my finger. Kids in school used to say I wasn't black because black girls didn't have long hair. It wasn't until I was grown that I had a good friend say let your hair be, and let it do it's own thing.
D. Young (40 years old)
Story: My mom stated straightening my hair at a young age, and by the time I was in high school she started perming it. I always had long think hair, and she said straightening it made it more manageable. The last time I permed my hair the chemical burned a hole in my scalp. I can tolerate pain really well. My mom would tell me to let her know when the perm started to burn, and this one particular time I ignored the buning sensation. It was almost an hour later that my mom realized that we didn't wash the perm out. By the time we washed it out my scalp was bleeding and I had to go to the hospital. Hair still doesn't grow in that spot and I can still feel the scar tissue.
D. Young (40 years old)
Quote: Why do all the white people have good hair, and black people have nappy,kinky,curly hair?
E.Little (81 years old)
Story: When I was in sixth or seventh grade my mom would get my hair straightened every two week. At school all the kids would ask if it was a silk press,and touch it all day. There were those who questioned if I were mixed because black girls couldn't possibly have "good hair". I didn't like it.
D. Shaw (21 years old)
Quote: While on the phone with a friend (black male) he said you got that ni**a hair
D. Holden-Fobbs (15 years old)
Quote: My friends (in a primarily white class) have long hair and I don't. I want long hair. (M's mother said her hair is long but she can't tell because of its texture,and shrinkage)
M. Mosley-Holden (4 years old)
Quote: My whole life I was questioned whether or not I was black, and was told I was stuck up because I had nice long hair.
D.Holden (45 years old)
Quote: I love that it is versatile and can do so many different things and comes in so many different textures. I love how innovative black people have been with their hair.
T. Davis (38 years old)
Quote: I have always loved my hair. Black hair is beautiful. When I was younger it was long and thick. I didn't need a perm. As I got older I started wearing wigs.
D. Little (59 years old)
Quote: Our hair is strength. It allows us to communicate and connect with our ancestors.
T. Young (38 years old)
Story: I have never had anyone from other races give me trouble about my hair. It has always been other black people who would question if I were black because I am light skinned with curly hair. They would always want to touch it, and when they did they would say oh its soft.
D. Holden-Fobbs (21 years old)
Quote: I don't like nappy hair, I want my hair straight so I keep mine permed. I don't want to be white but I want straight hair.
L. Young (61 years old)
Quote: I like my hair but I don't like when it gets nappy,curly, and puffy.
S. Williams (10 years old)
Quote: I struggle with my son's hair. He is half black and half white. My husband and I have no idea how to care for his hair because it is a mixture of both of our hair. I also know he will have a tough time in life because he is bi-racial. My fear is that we won't know how to help him because neither of us knows what being bi-racial is like.
L. Gold (?? years old)
Story: The first time I got my hair straightened I was seven. I went outside and played in the water plug, and my mom came out and yelled at me because she had just got it done. I thought to myself why can't I get my hair wet, am I gizmo.
C. Patton (38 years old)
Story: My hair is really 4c and one time my mom had to pay extra for me to get my hair done at a salon. While the hairdresser was doing my hair, she couldn't get the brush through it, and it flew out of her hard, flew into a mirror, and broke the mirror. The made my mom pay for the mirror.
C. Patton (38 years old)