In a classic 1994 episode of the TV sitcom “Living Single” – which featured successful black characters such as a lawyer and a business owner – stockbroker Kyle believed his hair was hurting his chances of a promotion at work.
“My hair is not just a fashion statement, it’s part of my heritage,” Kyle said in the scene as he stood in a conference room with his three male colleagues – two white and one black. “It’s a symbol of my pride.”
Exactly 30 years later, black people still experience a “hair-raising experience” (the name of the episode) when it comes to choosing their hairstyle at work and at school.
This episode touched the lives of many black people with textured hair who worked in corporate America. The determining factor of what was historically considered “professional hair” was often based on white, European standards. Standards that are very different from the natural afro hairstyles, braids, curls, and locks worn by people in the black community.
In Colorado, the natural hair movement has made progress in recent years. Manushkka Sainvil, founder of Chubby Curls, a natural hair product line for people with textured hair, said what is considered “professional-looking” hair should have nothing to do with the texture of the person’s hair.
“As long as your hair is clean,” that’s the most important thing, she said.
“We really need to redefine what traditional means, right? Traditional typically means a European phenotype,” she added. “So my job is to rework the narrative of what that means in terms of professional hair, acceptable hair; as long as it’s an expression of yourself that makes you feel good, that’s the most important thing.”
Colorado’s CROWN Act, which took effect in 2020, prohibits discrimination based on “hair texture, hair type, or a protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.”
22 states have passed the bill, showing how important hair is in the black community. Many black celebrities and public figures support such bills, embracing their natural hair and avoiding straight or sleek hairstyles – which often use harsh chemicals and excessive heat that cause long-term damage to textured hair.
Last week, Omarosa Manigault Newman caused a stir on social media for wearing a traditional black hairstyle at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She has become a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump after once serving in his administration.
At the DNC, the former communications director for Trump’s administration was unrecognizable with her new hairstyle, as many had only seen her with straight hair in the past, following more white and European hairstyles. The hair change led many to speculate about the reasons behind Manigault Newman’s hair change after her political views changed.
Democratic Rep. Leslie Herod of Denver, who sponsored the bill – known as the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2020 – said she was taught at a young age never to wear her natural hair in public and that was “just the way it was.”
But as the natural hair movement for African Americans continues to grow, more and more men are joining the movement and wearing their hair in unconventional styles. Lance Grace, a psychotherapist from Denver, wears his neck-length hair in dreadlocks – or locs, depending on personal preference – in a variety of styles, including the “barrel rolls” he’s currently wearing until he travels to New York City for his next hair appointment.
He said the way he wears his hair is not only an expression of the versatility of his hair, but also a connection of his hairstyle to black history, slavery, his family roots and his personal healthcare.
“It’s the journey, the knowledge, understanding where it all comes from and just moving forward,” Grace said. In the three years he’s been wearing a loc style, Grace says he’s received more admiration and positive support than negative reactions to his hair. However, he stressed that his professionalism in his overall appearance outweighs his hairstyle.
“I pay attention to clean and professional dress, clothing and the way I present myself,” he said, adding that self-expression and individuality are important in both professional and school environments.
“Be proud of who you are,” he said of the advice he would give to any young black man considering getting locs, even if they may face discrimination or struggle to grow and wear their natural hair.
In 2019, a white referee ruled that a young black wrestler’s dreadlocks did not comply with the rules. A video of him being forced to shave his hair before the fight later went viral.
“This is a public shaming and unacceptable,” Sainvil said of the incident in New Jersey. The state signed the CROWN Act later that year.
For more on this story, listen to this week’s episode of “Real Talk” with Denver 7 and CPR News, which explores issues affecting underrepresented people across Colorado and amplifying the voices you may not always hear.
