( 3 Votes )

Written by Shakeya Mahone

My kitchen looks like little peas fused together……. My hair is so thin you could see through it…… Her hair is more fake than Joan River’s face…… I wish I had hair like Real from Real Chance of Love……

Oh, she thinks she’s all that because she has that “Good Hair”. Are we ever going to appreciate our hair and all its fabulosity whether our hair is short, long, straight or Kinky? There have been hair wars within ourselves for many years. A countless number of us feel as though hair defines who we are when the truth is our hair is beautiful as it is varying in length, color and texture.

Chris Rock forthcoming movie Good Hair is about the many facets black women encounter with their hair. Rock investigates the relationship between black women and their beloved coils. It all started when one of Rock’s daughters asked the hilarious comedian “How come I don’t have good hair”? Embarking on the complexities of African American women and their royal crowns; Rock took the idea of these “troubles” and made a masterpiece. Through research Chris Rock cultivated the brilliant idea to visit beauty salons in the United States, a product manufacturing plant in North Carolina, a Hindu Temple in India and a hair show in Georgia.

Where did the notion of good hair come from? Slavery provided the division of our people as a whole, oppressing the black race even more with the brown paper test (a test that determined if you “pass” for white). While slave masters put light skin slaves in the “big house”, dark skin slaves were in the fields, further separating the black race. Willie Morrow, creator of the plastic Afro pick, built a multimillion dollar black hair empire, he also authored eight books about hair including “400 Years Without A Comb”, Morrow wrote in his book that “Even though black people were violently forced to submit to their new environment, their hair refused to cooperate and didn’t relinquish its unique characteristics. In addition to being denied the tool for growing, under the slavery regime there wasn’t exactly much time allotted for hygiene and beauty…..When slaves were finally permitted to groom, the goal was to make it long and straight, emulating their masters. Black people continued to imitate the grooming tradition of their former masters even after slavery. So those with straight enough hair styled theirs after whites and were considered to have “good hair”. The slaves who retained their pure African hair on the other hand, had “bad hair”. A class system eventually emerged-which still persists today-where Blacks with “good hair” and light skin were considered to be on top in the social order. Conversely, “bad hair” and dark skin assigned one to the bottom. People with “good hair” tended to keep it in the family, by only marrying others with similar hair and skin qualities”. Sad but true, this dreadful mindset still exist today.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Lisa Wu Hartwell and Sheree’s friend Tania had a little snafu about hair which started as friendly banter quickly ended in shade. When Lisa met Tania at Sheree’s Housewarming party, Lisa said “Oh my goodness, you’re tiny. I’m a size two, so you must be a size zero”. Nene jokingly says she’s going to get Tania a sandwich. Tania tells her no thanks, and she has room to grow to be Nene’s size. Nene had the shocked look of “Oh, no she didn’t” expressed on her face. Lisa then compliments Tania on her relaxed, short do’. Tania tells Lisa she should do something with her own hair. Tania also tells Lisa she has swimmer’s hair. Tania’s next reply was “Someone needs to push her in the pool. Lisa snapped back quickly saying “No, no there won’t be any pushing in the pool with me”……..

Unfortunately, this hair rising stigma still lies true among the black masses creating a self hating repugnance that’s prevalent within our culture. As far as I'm concerned, there’s no such thing as “good hair”, specifically speaking. “Good hair” is healthy hair, hair that’s nourished, well conditioned, snipped regularly, and moisturized creating fabulous locks of love. We must extricate out our minds the old way of thinking and take on positive thoughts about our hair. This positive reinforcement will set optimistic standards for future generations to come. Love your hair down to your toenails; good hair is only in the mind. Love yourself people…….

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