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From slavery to colonialism and school rules: a history of myths about black hair

From slavery to colonialism and school rules: a history of myths about black hair

HLONIPHA MOKOENA, Associate Professor at the Wits Institute for Social & Economic Research, University of the Witwatersrand “YOUR hair feels like pubic hair.” That was one of the first insults that someone hurled at my hair. She was a junior at my school. She would touch my hair and repeat this sentence to all present. I had to threaten her with violence to get her to stop touching my hair and comparing it to her pubes. This is one of the first dilemmas that black people face: do I let people touch my hair and under what circumstances? The question,…
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Hair is just not hair

Hair is just not hair

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER BLACK women’s hair styled not only contributes to their physical beauty but also determines their job prospects, a new study has revealed. According to CNN, black women with natural hairstyles, which include traditional afros, braids and twists are less likely to secure job interviews than white women or black women with straightened hair.  The CNN report is based on studies carried out by researchers from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. According to participants in the studies, natural black hairstyles were perceived as less professional. The effect of the perception is particularly pronounced in industries where a…
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