This is the part where we talk all about Black styles, Black bodies, and Black Beauty! Now it might seem that these are not loaded politic terms… oh, but they are. As soon as you suggest that natural/ kinky hair, dark skin, Afro-centric styles, and thickness are a source of utmost dignity, professionalism, and beauty, then all hell seems to break lose. And no matter how maligned these aesthetics are by whitestream culture, the appropriation is always in full force… as if cornrows, fly fingernails, and big ol’ hoop earrings were made visible and popular by anyone but sistas! Let's go in on all that and ask ourselves what difference digital culture makes in the aesthetic lives of Black peoples! For the current working of this module, we will focus on Black hair, but this module is not limited to that!
Today, there are many op-eds and documentaries about colorism and texturism. However, we want to stay true to the roots and inventors of these contemporary movements and conversations... young Black women vlogging about their learning, practices, and experiences!
Flip through the book below to see a compilation of TCU undergraduate students' zines dedicated to Black hair... Digitized!