Good Hair

So I am excited to say that I will most definitetly be seeing Chris Rock's Good Hair film. I heard that it has gotten wonderful reviews and a couple of awards. Anyway as I was reading reviews I came across and interesting statement about the history of why black women want to have "good hair".  In a article by Lori L Tharps, published on thegrio.com she states

The term "good hair" harks back to antebellum America, when slaves knew that the less African they appeared, the better treatment they would receive from slave owners. Hair was the number one marker of negritude. It was also the most malleable ethnic trait. Using a combination of homemade concoctions and ingenious straightening methods, the slaves worked tirelessly at making their hair seem less foreign to their white masters. In return, they hoped that their straightened locks would aid them in being chosen for the coveted house jobs instead of working in the fields. Not that being a house slave was a glamorous position, but it did offer access to better food, living conditions and a chance at an otherwise illegal education. Even more importantly, working in the house brought with it the possibility of a closer relationship with the master, which could translate into freedom upon his death.

So yes, if your hair was long and loosely curled it was "good hair," because it literally meant it was good enough to get you out of the fields. It wasn't about beauty - good hair was about survival. And make no mistake; men wanted that good hair too.

I would have to say that this sheds light on a different perspective on why black women do everything in their means to have "good hair". Even if having good hair during the antebellum period was a tool for survival. I believe today, having good hair is a combination of survival as well as a need to want to be closer to whiteness. Today looking at any media outlet, most African American women are portrayed as exotic, of lighter complexion, curly hair, or green eyes. Most black women on TV have one of the above features. So this sends a message that in order to get a job, be successful, put food one the table you must have at least one of several attributes. In most cases to even be considered "attractive" women believe they must have lighter skin, a thinner nose, green eyes( even if its contacts), wigs, weaves. We are so saturated with this idea of white beauty that we cannot perceive ourselves as attractive without some aspect of whiteness.

Even when we look at Martin Lawrence's Big Momma or Jamie Foxx's Wanda, these "women" have blonde wigs. Why do these "women" wear blonde wigs? I mean it does contribute to the ridiculousness of the scenario, which adds to the humor. But why not wear braids like Shanaynay (Martin Lawrence character on "Martin") or why not have natural hair, or simply a black wig?

How will we ever get beyond this point? Its looking very bleak...maybe we won't change.
Check out this video:my nappy roots trailer