The natural hair movement is a movement which aims to encourage people of sub-Saharan African descent to embrace their natural, afro-textured hair, especially in the workplace. It originated in the United States during the 1960s, and resurged in popularity in the 2000s.[1][2]
These individuals of African descent choose not to relax their hair, allowing it, instead, to grow in its natural texture. To relax one's hair means to use chemicals to straighten it. This can be done professionally, or through a kit purchased at a grocery store for home use.[3] Afro-textured hairstyles can vary and may include the adoption of hair twists, braids or dreadlocks.[4][5] Not all people that wear their hair naturally will choose to do without all (non-chemical) forms of straightening or styling. Additionally, for many members of the movement, "being natural" does not necessarily indicate a strict adherence to any particular type of product or styling regimen; nor is it exclusively tied to certain social or political beliefs.[6]
The word nappy, historically used as a derogatory term to describe the hair of Black people, has been positively reappropriated by Afrodescendants.[7] In Francophone countries, nappy is often used as a portmanteau of 'natural' and 'happy'.[4][8][9][10] In the past, the word was subject to denigration, having origins that stretch back to the Atlantic slave trade. It is surmised that nappy may have originated as a pejorative reference to the frizzy texture of cotton picked by Black slaves.[7]
In many early African societies, hairdressing historically served as a core cultural practice that extended beyond aesthetics. Hairstyles functioned as a form of social communication, following codes that signal ethnic identity, age, marital status and social rank.[11] Scholars emphasize that Black hair has long been a site of creativity and cultural production that reflect shared histories.[12]
However, during the Atlantic slave trade, the conditions of servitude did not allow black people to take care of their hair. Enslaved Africans had been stripped of the tools and autonomy necessary to maintain their practices.[12] Under slavery, Afro-textured hair was devalued and branded, with terms like "nappy" appearing as racialized insults.[13][14] In many cases, their heads were shaved upon capture or arrival, symbolizing the loss of identity and connection to the motherland. This process was part of a broader system of cultural erasure that sought to suppress African identities.[12] Following the American abolition of slavery in 1865, Black Americans began to navigate a society that was rooted in Eurocentric beauty standards. Hair straightening became widely popular as Black women used it to improve access to employment and social mobility.[12] Tools such as the hot comb, and later Garrett A. Morgan's invention of a relaxer cream in 1909, were used to alter hair texture to conform to the dominate ideals of professionalism.[11][8][15][16][12]
In the period between the 1960s–1970s, as racial segregation between blacks and whites reigned in the United States there was a significant shift in the cultural and political meaning of Black Hair. During the Civil Rights and Black Power movement, natural hairstyles such as the Afro hairstyle, became symbols of resistance, pride and self-definition.[17] The Afro hairstyle also became closely associated with the "Black is Beautiful" movement, which sought to redefine beauty standards and celebrate African Heritage.[12] Figures such as Angela Davis, young human rights activist and member of the 1966 revolutionary movement Black Panthers, popularized the look, transforming it into a visible marker of political identity. It was adopted by multiple celebrities, such as Diana Ross and the Jackson 5 band members.[18][11][8][10][19] Scholars describe this shift as part of a broader "politics of style," where hair and fashion functioned as a tool of activism that allowed African Americans to assert agency and challenge dominant norms.[17] At the same time, these developments were shaped by broader processes of globalization and African Diaspora. Natural hairstyles became part of a transnational cultural movement, often referred to as "soul style," which circulated across national boundaries and expressed a shared sense of identity and resistance.[17] Individuals across the African diaspora used natural hairstyles to align themselves with anti-colonial struggles, civil rights and broader efforts to challenge racial hierarchies. Historians argue hair became part of a shared cultural language through which people expressed both local identities and shared histories.[17]
During the 1970s–1980s, popularized especially by some celebrities, the "Jheri curl," a newer technique to loosen tightly curled hair, became fashionable in the African American community; it can be seen in Michael Jackson's hair in the music video of his song Thriller. The popularity of the "Jheri curl," reflected the growing influence of mass media and consumerism that shaped beauty standards. While the Jheri curl was often celebrated as a modern and stylish look, it relied on chemical processing, which reinforced earlier pressures to alter natural hair. In contrast, during these same years, dreadlocks were also introduced into popular culture and popularized through reggae music, especially by Bob Marley's hair style and by the Rastafarian movement. This hairstyle became frequently associated with resistance, spirituality, and anti-colonial identity, particularly through their connection to Rastafarian beliefs and Pan-African ideology.[12][17] As music, film, and fashion industries expanded internationally, this visibility made natural hair more susceptible to commodification. Scholars point out that Black hair has often been shaped and influenced by capitalism, as the beauty industry began to monopolize on natural hair the political movement got repurposed for commercial gain.[20]
Hair straightening was considered mainstream and performed frequently throughout the 1980s and 1990s, often with relaxers containing harsh chemicals, particularly lye, that can cause harmful effects on the scalp like red patches, burns, and alopecia.[9][21][22]
In 2014 The Curly Girl Collective[47] held their first CurlFest, a festival now held annually in Brooklyn, New York, that celebrates natural hair. Outside the US, several events have developed to accompany the natural hair movement, particularly in France and in Africa:
The salon Boucles d'ébène: A demonstration, has existed for ten years, dedicated to the black hairdressing and beauty.[4][48][49][50]
The Miss Nappy Paris′ competition: The election of "Miss Nappy" so as to promote the Afro hair beauty.[4][51]
The Massalia Nappy Days: Lectures, projections of documentaries and fashion shows.[52]
The Crépue d'ébène Festival at Abidjan (Ivory Coast): Dedicated to the natural beauty of the African woman and to the highlighting of the nappy hair.[53]
The Natural Hair Academy: Event to better understand the nappy hair, days of advice by speakers.[4][54]
The AfricaParis Festival: Dedicated to the "Afropean" culture.[4]
Each woman has her own reason to retrieve her authenticity; some want to preserve their hair against aggressive hair styling methods such as weaves being too tight or harmful straightening chemical products, while others simply prefer their natural hair in spite of the pressure from the dominant aesthetics.[11][8][9][55]
On 3 July 2019, California became the first US state to prohibit discrimination over natural hair. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the CROWN Act into law, banning employers and schools from discriminating against hairstyles such as afros, braids, twists, and dreadlocks.[56] Likewise, later in 2019 Assembly Bill 07797 became law in New York state; it "prohibits race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles."[57]
With the popularity of "going natural[58]", hair care suppliers have seen a rapid decrease in the purchase of relaxers, the harsh chemical hair straightener. An industry that was once worth an estimated $774 million, relaxer sales have gone down 26% over the last five years, as of 2013 reports.[59] Relaxer sales had fallen by 38% between 2012 and 2017 and were estimated to decrease to 45% by 2019.[59]
Women who wear their hair natural are now spending more money on chemical-free products that highlight the best results for their natural textures. Hair care suppliers and markets are taking note, as Black consumers represent a lucrative segment for the hair care industry, prompting brands to adjust their product lines to meet this growing demand.[59] However, many products that appear to cater to Black consumers, and may be perceived as Black-owned, are in fact owned by large corporations. This has prompted increased awareness and consumer scrutiny, as highlighted by reports identifying and listing non-Black-owned brands that consumers may have previously assumed were Black-owned.[60]
As relaxer production declines in favor of more natural-friendly products, Black consumers increasingly rely on social media—particularly YouTube—for tutorials, product demonstrations, and reviews before making purchases. Popular brands and products include Shea Moisture, DevaCurl, and Carol's Daughter.[61] The availability of products suited for natural Black hair has also been encouraged by the founding of Black-owned hair product companies, such as Ruka Hair in the UK, founded by Tendai Moyo.[62]
Many women of African descent have faced opposition from wearing their hair in naturally curly styles or other non-straight, protective styles.
Many women have found that they are treated unjustly based on having naturally afro-textured hair. Natural hair can be deemed "unprofessional", turning it into a fireable offense.[63] For example, a 12-year-old student at a Florida Christian school with natural hair "was given one week to decide whether to cut her hair or leave the academy that she has attended since third grade" after she complained to school officials about being bullied by other students.[64] In March 2014, the United States Department of Defense issued a set of guidelines that banned all afros, dreadlocks, braids, and twists that were greater than 1⁄4" in diameter. Guidelines such as these clearly disproportionately affect and target those of African descent.[65] They later rolled back the guidelines that same year in August by allowing two-strand twists. The Army increased the size of permissible braids and removed the word "unkempt" from their guidelines.[66] In April 2016, a female Zara employee in the Canadian city of Toronto was reprimanded for wearing her hair in a braided hairstyle, which resulted in her filing a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.[67][check quotation syntax]
Hair appropriation/cultural appropriation has been an issue within the natural hair community. Many non-black individuals, especially celebrities, often wear African-American hairstyles, which some have found offensive. Giuliana Rancic apologized to actress Zendaya—who wore dreadlocks on the 2015 Oscar's red carpet—after commenting that Zendaya's hair must have smelled of "patchouli oil or weed".[68]
Kim Kardashian wore Fulani braids, originating from the Fulani tribe of West Africa, on three different occasions in 2018.[69] She referred to them as "Bo Derek braids" in reference to actress Bo Derek's Fulani braids in the 1979 film 10. Kardashian received backlash, especially from the black community. The idea of non-black women wearing natural hair styles remains controversial.[citation needed][70]
Several words are frequently used in the vocabulary of the natural hair movement:[18][5][71][72][73]
Afro: A hairstyle created by combing the hair away from the scalp, allowing the hair to extend out from the head in a large, rounded-shape, much like a cloud or ball.
Big chop: Cutting one's chemically straightened hair to let it grow in its natural texture.
Braids: Hairstyle where hair is braided with extensions or with natural hair.
Box braids: A form of protective styling done through braiding synthetic hair along with real hair. This promotes hair growth and protects hair from breakage and other damaging factors.
Braid out: Braids are unraveled.
Creamy crack: Chemical relaxers. The term was coined with the thought that the use of relaxers is addictive for those women who strive for a permanently straight hair texture.
Coils: A hairstyle achieved by taking small sections of wet or very damp hair and smoothing, while rotating the sections, one by one, from root to tip. Tiny styling combs or a finger are typically used.
Coily: The texture characteristic of natural Type 4 hair, whereby the configuration of the strand resembles a small-diameter ink pen spring.
Cornrows: A style of braiding/plaiting hair into narrow strips to form geometric patterns on the scalp. A form of protective styling.
Co-wash: Washing one's hair with conditioner instead of shampoo.
Detangling: The process of using fingers or a wide-tooth comb to get out knots in curly textured hair.
Hair porosity: Natural hair can have low, high, or medium porosity. Low porosity hair cuticles are very tightly closed and do not absorb water or product easily. High porosity hair cuticles are very open and absorb water and product easily. Medium porosity is more balance and absorbs water, product, and moisture easily. In order to best treat naturally curly hair, celebrity hairstylist Andre Walker created a hair typing system. This categorizes hair into four categories based on how tight curls are coiled.
Kinky hair: Kinky hair is hair with tight curls, tight coils, or no defined curls.Tightly curled hair, tightly coiled hair or hair without defined curls.
Protective hairstyle: Any coiffure configuration that keeps hair ends safely tucked away to keep the natural hair protected from the elements. These hairdos require very little daily upkeep and help strands stay moisturized.[74] Includes braids, extensions, wigs, and weaves. See Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice.
Senegalese twists: Also known as rope twists where synthetic hair is used and twisted in with the natural hair.
Shrinkage: Because natural hair is typically has different types of curls and textures, in its natural state it appears shorter than it would straightened.
Transition: Period of time when one is transitioning from straightening their hair with heat/and or chemical products to wearing hair in its natural state.
Twist out: Hairstyle where twists are unraveled. See Corinne Bailey Rae.
Twists: Double strands of hair wrapped around each other.
Wash and go: wash one's hair and going on about one's day. This means there is no drying or styling involved and the application of product is minimal (usually a moisturizer or anti-frizz serum). The wash and go is also sometimes referred to as the "shake and go" which further emphasizes the lack of actual styling involved. The goal of a wash and go is to define natural curls.[75]
1234567Byrd, Ayana D.; Tharps, Lori L. (2014). Hair story: untangling the roots of Black hair in America (Reviseded.). New York: St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN978-1-250-04657-4.
12345Ford, Tanisha C. (2015). Liberated threads: Black women, style, and the global politics of soul. Gender and American culture (1ed.). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN978-1-4696-2515-7.
↑Cobb, Jasmine Nichole (2023). New growth: the art and texture of black hair. The visual arts of Africa and its diasporas. Durham: Duke University Press. ISBN978-1-4780-2370-8.
Erykah Badu at a concert in July 2008.
Aïssa Maïga during the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
Beyoncé sporting braids during the Formation world tour.
Inna Modja during a concert at Vaux-sur-Mer 9 August 2012.
Janelle Monáe sang live at the Austin Music Hall on the occasion of SXSW in March 2009.
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