Nineteen Fifty-Six Vol. 2 No. 2 New Growth

NINETEEN
NEW GROWTH
NOVEMBER 2021

You do matter. The numerous achievements and
talents of Black students deserve to be recognized. As
of Fall 2020, 10.95% of students on campus identified
as Black or African American. Black students are
disproportionately underrepresented in various areas
on campus. Nineteen Fifty-Six is a Black studentled
magazine that amplifies the voices within the
University of Alabama’s Black community. It also seeks
to educate students from all backgrounds on culturally
important issues and topics in an effort to produce
socially-conscious, ethical and well-rounded citizens.
2

EDITORIAL STAFF
EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANAGING EDITOR
VISUALS & DESIGN EDITOR
PHOTO EDITOR
ASST. PHOTO EDITOR
ENGAGEMENT EDITOR
ASST. ENGAGEMENT EDITOR
FEATURES & EXPERIENCES EDITOR
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE DIRECTOR
Tionna Taite
Nickell Grant
Ashton Jah
Tyler Hogan
Madison Carmouche
Madison Davis
Jolencia Jones
Ashlee Woods
Farrah Sanders
ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS
WRITERS
PHOTOGRAPHERS,
VIDEOGRAPHERS,
& DESIGNERS
SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING
PR SPECIALISTS
Jolencia Jones, Malea
Benjamin, Leah Jones,
Rachel Parker, Ta’Kyla
Bates, Joseph King
Alexis Blue, CJ Thomas,
LaDaeshai Ward, Tonya
Williams, Lyric Wisdom
Karris Harmon, Asia
Smith, Christian Thomas
Danielle S. McAllister,
Farrah Sanders
COPYRIGHT
Nineteen Fifty-Six is published by the Office of Student Media at The University of Alabama. All content and
design are produced by students in consultation with professional staff advisers. All material contained herein,
except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is copyrighted © 2021 by Nineteen Fifty-Six magazine. Material
herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of Nineteen Fifty-Six magazine. Editorial
and Advertising offices for Nineteen Fifty-Six Magazine are located at 414 Campus Drive East, Tuscaloosa, AL
35487. The mailing address is P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. Phone: (205) 348-7257.
Pictured in the cover is Nathan Brown. Cover photography by Tyler Hogan.
3

“I grew to believe Black hair has power, genius, and magic
in it, defying gravity and limitation. I mean, look at how
marvelous it is: Black hair grows up and out.
- Michaela Angela Davis
”
FROM THE EDITOR:
Natural hair is truly beautiful and
significant within the Black community.
Therefore, it is only right that we dedicate
an entire magazine issue to discussing and
highlighting our natural hair. Historically,
mainstream media and other entities in
society have tried to paint the narrative
that our natural hair is “unruly”, “unkept”,
or “unprofessional.” However, we are taking
back that narrative and showing the world
the power that natural hair truly has.
As a child, my mother often styled my hair
in two afro puffs with bows and other hair
accessories. When I went to elementary
school, other kids would point out how
different my hair was from the other girls.
This was mainly due to the fact that I was
one of two Black girls in my kindergarten
class. Students would go as far as to make
fun of my hair simply because it was not
straightened. This experience was and still
is all too common for youth within the Black
community. Nevertheless, my Black hair was
beautiful back then and still is.
Our Black hair holds stories. Our ancestors
used hairstyles such as cornrows to depict
escape routes and maps as they were escaping
slaverly. Our hair is much more than just a
form of expression. It is our heritage and
culture. Black hair truly holds power and it is
important that we recognize and assert that
fact.
I am proud to present the November
magazine issue entitled New Growth. It has
been an honor to showcase the beauty and
versatility of Black hair.
TIONNA TAITE, EDITOR IN CHIEF
4

TABLE OF
CULTURE
Don’t Touch My Hair 8
Locs, Not Dreads 9
LIFESTYLE
Untangling Black Hairstyles 12
Beginner’s Guide to Damaged Hair 14
More Than “Just Hair” 15
FEATURES
Views Through Colored Glasses 18
NPHC Step Show Recap 20
Fashion Show Recap 22
Heads of Hair 23
5

EXPERIENCES
Good Hair Doesn’t Exist 26
Hair Care is Self Care: A Q&A with WillonaWhim 28
“It’s My Hair” 29
Cultural Appropriation 31
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CULTURE
CULTURE
CULTURE
CULTURE
CULTURE
CULTURE
CULTURE
AMIL TOLEN
Senior, Communicative Disorders
“My natural hair is my own crown. It’s unique to
me. It symbolizes my beauty in its rawest form.”

TIONNA TAITE
DON’T TOUCH MY HAIR
Don’t touch my hair.
Don’t touch my hair
Don’t touch my hair
For it’s the feelings I wear
My afrocentric hair holds my ancestor’s stories
They speak to me & tell me don’t worry
I was told my natural hair was indeed not natural
They said conforming to society’s standards would
be far more rational
But they don’t understand
My hair helped lead my ancestors to free land
Within the intricate design of cornrows were
escape routes and maps
Black roots run deep but history books don’t fill in
the gaps
My hair is not a spectacle
It’s not for you to decide whether it looks
acceptable
My hair is my crown
My ancestors showed me Black hair is truly
profound
Don’t touch my crown
Tionna Taite performing her original poem “Don’t Touch
My Hair” at Miss University of Alabama
8

MALEA BENJAMIN
LOCS,
NOT
DREADS
9
THEY ARE LOCS, NOT DREADS.
Locs, also referred to as
“dreadlocks”, is a hairstyle in
which hair falls into rope-like strands,
made when the hair locks into itself.
Locs have been around for centuries,
dating back to ancient Egypt. The
first known examples of the hairstyle
appeared on Egyptian artifacts and
remains of mummified Egyptians
with the hairstyle having even been
recovered from various archaeological
sites. Locs also have historical origins
in Greece and India. The hairstyle has
cultural and historical significance
to Black people across the globe and
has been worn across several cultures
and civilizations.
Although the hairstyle has been
around for centuries, the locs were
not brought into mainstream culture
until the emergence of Bob Marley
in the 1970s, Whoopi Goldberg in the
1980s, and Lauryn Hill in the 90s. The
hairstyle isn’t exactly as easy as it’s
described either. It costs anywhere
from $50 to $100 to start the process
of the hairstyle and even more money
in attempts to maintain it. It takes
a lot of patience and care, just like
any other Black hairstyle, but it is
worth maintaining such a historical
and beautiful hairstyle within our
culture.
So why the change in name from
“dreadlocks”’ to locs? The modern
understanding of the term
“dreadlocks” is that the British came
across locs when they were fighting
Kenyan warriors, and found them
‘dreadful,’ which then inspired the
term “dreadlocks”.
So, essentially the term “dreadlocks”
has a racist history and the Black
community who holds this hairstyle
as a symbol of pride has attempted
to move past the term and its
negative connotation in a turn to
reclaim the positive origins of the
hairstyle. Natural hair, like locs, has
been constantly under racist attacks
in schools, the workplace, and the
military. Locs were banned in the
United States military until 2017.
In Florida in 2019, a 6-year-old child
was turned away on his first day of
school because of his locs. Even as
recently as 2019, a video went viral of
Andrew Johnson, a Black high school
wrestler from New Jersey, being
forced to have his locs cut off in order
to compete in the match. This led
to a revamp in the conversation on
discrimination and abuse of power
against Black students’ natural hair.
However, recently, there have been
steps taken in order to address this
form of discrimination against Black
people. In 2020, the C.R.O.W.N. Act
(Creating a Respectful and Open
World for Natural Hair Act) was
signed into law which is legislation
that demands protection against
race-based hair discrimination in
the workplace and in K-12 public and
charter schools based on hair texture
and protective styles. Not all of the
states have signed it into law yet, but
it is still making progress to this day.
Meanwhile, while Black Americans
are still fighting to be able to wear
their natural hair freely, locs have
become a “trend” of some sort when
worn by white people. For them,
it’s socially acceptable. For Black
people, it’s “unprofessional.” To make
progress, we need to unlearn the
negative stigma of locs, whether it
be implicit or intentional. Changing
the name may seem like a small step,
but it’s the beginning of reclaiming
a style that is so near and dear to our
people and culture.
Pictured: Fa’Marlon (PJ) Mobley, Junior

LIFESTYLE
LLIFESTYLE
I F E S T Y L E
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE
ALYSSA PAGE
Junior, Nursing & Spanish
“I see my hair as an extension of myself and I see
my hair care as self care.”

JOSEPH KING
UNTANGLING
BLACK HAIRSTYLES
Black people and our hair have
always been important to us.
From fades, afros, locs, braids, wigs
and weaves, Black people spend
millions of dollars on styling, let
alone on the hair care products as
well. According to an article Essence
magazine published in 2020, Black
people spend around $1.2 trillion on
hair care. The question raised is why
is our hair so important to us? What
is the history surrounding our pride
in our hair? Like many instances,
within the past 100 years the pride
was subjected to countless amounts
of prejudice and racism that Black
culture faces on a daily basis. One can
go back even further and dive into
the history about our hair and the
different hairstyles used throughout
our history and today to understand
where that pride comes from.
Lori Tharpe was the co-author of
Hair Story: Untangling The Roots
of Black Hair in America. Tharpe
mentions in her book the history
of Black hairstyles. “Your family,
your tribe all had their own specific
hairstyle. In addition, your hairstyle
would be more elaborate if you held a
higher place in society,” Tharpe said.
When asking different young Black
women about what their hair means
to them, they all said it means a lot.
Shanaya Daughtrey is a junior at the
University of Alabama and she says
her hair is a part of her image and
who she is. Daughtrey also says she
often noticed growing up she would
choose different hairstyles because
of what other people might say or
think about her hair.
“In middle school I had permed my
edges, you know, trying to slick it
down because of this image of what
our hair was supposed to look like,”
Daughtrey said.
Many Black women have said they
tend to choose more protective styles
and wigs when picking a hairstyle.
Styles like knotless braids or
faux locs are easier to manage
compared to other styling.
Managing hair for Black people
can often be a chore. University
of Alabama junior Raven Young
says using a protective style like
box braids can save her time
when getting ready.
Black women feel that in
comparison to other races of
women, people feel too comfortable
trying to police their hair and tell
them what to do and how to style it.
“People just feel like they can bully
Black people,” University of Alabama
student Iyanla Mosely said. Mosely
said she tends to wear silk presses
and when growing up if she didn’t
wear a silk press, she would be told to
get her hair done.
“I do feel like Black women face that a
lot, from men in our community and
other cultures,” Mosely said.
“My hair is an expression of who I am as an
individual. I style my hair often to convey
the creativity that lies within me.”
Janeé Hill
Junior, Business Marketing & PR
12

“I decided to do the Big Chop because I wanted
something different. I planned to start my natural
journey over and now I have had my TWA for eight
months now.”
Dejah Williams
Junior, Psychology
“One hair product I cannot live without, although
it’s not really a product, would be water. Without
water my hair wouldn’t be as moisturized, and it
would be harder to style.”
Russell Jiles
Junior, Kinesiology (Pre-Med)
13

Tonya Williams
TONYA WILLIAMS
Beginnerʻs BEGINNER’S guide to GUIDE damaged TO hair
DAMAGED HAIR
Hey girl, is it
your first time here?
Oh, you have a lot
of heat damage...
It is when you use
too much heat on
your hair. Like
straightening, coloring,
or perming can cause a
a lot of damage if
Not done right.
Yes, it is!
What is heat
damage?
I do color my hair,
what should I do?
The best way is to
cut out those ends.
Split ends will split
up to the root, causing
more breakage.
Oh my god, really?
Yes, thatʻs why itʻs
important to geta trim
every 12 weeks!
Oh wow, is there
anything else I need
to know?
Usually any hair oils
and moisturizer will work!
Okay, what should I use ?
To keep your hair
healthy, especially curly
hair, you have to
moisturize regularly.
But, check the product!
Stay away from products
with alcohol or long
ingredients lists of things
you donʻt know about.

LEAH JONES
MORE THAN
“Just Hair”
Hair is more than just hair to negroes,” read the article by the
Black people. Hair is a part of American Eugenics Party.
Black culture and unity. Whether it is
naturally tight curls and coils, braids,
locs, fades, weaves, waves or afros,
Black people find identity and history
in their hair.
Hair also can show the journey a
Black person has gone through to
appreciate who they are.
Black hair is also an everyday form
of liberation and protest. It has a
history of being viewed as unkept
and unprofessional, an injustice that
is still seen today.
Hair discrimination is a form of racial
discrimination that targets hairstyles
typically worn by Black people. It
makes Black hair unacceptable for
different environments. There is no
concrete reasoning for punishing the
wearing of Black hairstyles.
Hair discrimination started with
many of the other stereotypes that
were created to undermine Black
people. An article written in 1966 by
the American Eugenics Party titled,
“The Ugliest Race,” described how
non-Black people viewed Black hair.
“The compactness of the short, tightly
twisted ‘hair’ suggests uncleanliness
(trapped dirt)... The ‘hair’ of negroes
suggests primitiveness, stuntedness,
and disease. It is apparent that
many animals have better hair than
With this stereotype being believed
by many non-Black people at the
time, large numbers of Black women
and men turned to assimilating their
hair to gain acceptance in society.
“The end of the 19th century saw the
invention of the hair-straightening
comb, which would be used to ‘tame’
black hair,” Chanté Griffin said in
“How Natural Black Hair at Work
Became a Civil Rights Issue.”
During this time, there was a
simultaneous movement for
embracing Black hair by protesting
against the discrimination. According
to Griffin, the “Black is Beautiful”
movement also began in the 1960s
where natural hair was worn in
protest.
“Don’t remove the kinks from your
hair! Remove them from your brain,”
activist Marcus Garvey said.
The fight for justice for Black
Americans during the Civil Rights
Movement brought hope with the
passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.
The federal government outlawed
discrimination based off race, color,
religion, sex or national origin.
However, hair discrimination is one
of the many injustices Black people
still face today.
A 2019 research study between Dove
and The Crown Coalition showed the
effects of race-based discrimination
on Black women and their hair in
the workplace. After surveying
1000 Black women and 1000 non-
Black women that work in a sales or
an office setting, it was found that
Black women are 30% more likely
to be made aware of appearance or
grooming policies of a work space
than non-Black women.
This means workplaces prioritize
telling Black women what their
physical appearance should look like
to be considered professional over
other groups of women. The study
also showed that Black women are
one and a half times more likely to
be sent home from work because of
their hair.
They are also 80% more likely to be
judged by their appearance and feel
the need to change their hair to fit in
at their work environment.
All of this history of discrimination
and hatred of Black hair, by both non-
Black and Black communitites, serves
as the reason Black hair styles are
more than “just hair.”
“Protective styles, locs, headwraps,
and durags are not just vital to the
protection of Black hair, they are
expressions of culture and identity,”
the NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) wrote.
“Discriminating against Black hair
reinforces the othering of Black
children and is another way that
Black identity is policed.”
Many non-Black people don’t
understand why it’s controversial for
them to wear Black hairstyles, often
claiming it is “just hair.” When that
assumption is made, it disregards
15

the history of Black people being
shamed for wearing these hairstyles
they created or are born with, while
celebrating others for wearing them.
Additionally, it is argued if non-Black
people cannot wear traditionally
Black hair styles then Black people
should not be able to wear straight
wigs or other wigs that are not their
natural hair texture. This belief also
disregards the struggle Black women
face of feeling they should straighten
their natural hair to fit into white
beauty standards.
In 2019, the Crown Coalition created
a campaign called the Crown Act.
The purpose is to outlaw hair
discrimination.
“[The goal is] to ensure protection
against discrimination based on
race-based hairstyles by extending
statutory protection to hair texture
and protective styles such as
braids, locs, twists, and knots in
the workplace and public schools,”
authors of the act wrote.
It has currently been passed in eight
states and has amassed over 300,000
signatures on its online petition.
The work is being put in place to
combat hair discrimination by many
organizations and activists. In the
meantime, a way for Black people to
support this cause is to wear your hair
however you want, unapologetically.
Pictured: Zikeal Howard, Junior
TEXTURE CHART
1A 2A 2B 2C 3A 3B 3C 4A 4B 4C
The “Andre Walker Hair Type System” shown above is frequently used to categorize hair textures of all
races. The numbers are used for the categories, and the letters are for the subcategory to its number.
“I do wash day about once a week
or every other week so I don’t
dry my hair out.”
Ethan Jones
Junior, Music Composition
“My hair routine consists of
laying my edges and running
mousse through my locs.”
Nodiah Owens
Sophomore, Political Science
16

FEATURES
FEATURES
FEATURES
FEATURES
FEATURES
FEATURES
FEATURES
JOHNATHAN FOBISH
Junior, Graphic Design
“My hair represents my growth in life and I feel
like it shows my freedom and independence as a
young Black man.”

RACHEL PARKER
VIEWS
THROUGH
COLORED
GLASSES
As history has told us, injustices
because of a person’s race were
common practice. Today, classes are
taught on how to recognize and not
perpetuate these same ideals and
treatments towards one another.
There is another subset of prejudice
experienced between individuals
defined as colorism.
Colorism is defined by the
Oxford dictionary as prejudice or
discrimination against individuals
with a dark skin tone, typically
among people of the same ethnic or
racial group. It was initially coined
by novelist and feminist Alice Walker
in 1982 in her collection of essays, In
Search of Our Mother’s Gardens.
Walker discusses the issue of
colorism with a friend in the essay,
“If The Present Looks Like The Past,
What Does The Future Look Like?”
and states about the divisiveness
of this treatment in saying, “Unless
the question of Colorism — in my
definition, prejudicial or preferential
treatment of same-race people based
solely on their color—is addressed in
our communities and definitely in
our Black “sisterhoods” we cannot, as
a people, progress,” Walker said. “For
colorism, like colonialism, sexism,
and racism, impedes us.”
This type of discrimination dates to
slavery. Slave masters would separate
enslaved people by skin tone. Enslaved
people with lighter skin worked in
the master’s house. Enslaved people
with darker skin worked in the field.
Showing preference by who could
inhabit certain spaces or what is
desirable led to a cycle of stereotypes
and emotional harm that spans
globally across communities of
Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the
Caribbean.
Ideas of being less than are echoed
through the research of Washington
Post journalist, Shankar Vedantam.
“Dozens of research studies have
shown that skin tone and other
racial features play powerful roles
in who gets ahead and who does
not,” Vedantam said. “These factors
regularly determine who gets hired,
who gets convicted and who gets
elected,” states Vedantam.
Deciding who is predominantly
shown in the media delivers the
message of who is seen as desirable
and normalizes a lighter-skin tone
as superior and more acceptable.
Through additional research, the
perception of light versus dark skin
tones is shown through the “bad is
black” effect by professor Adam Alter
of New York University.
As explained in a 2017 Scientific
American article, Alter and a few of
his colleagues conducted research
18

to see if the media ran darker
photographs about celebrities and
politicians when discussing their
wrongdoings.
Any negative headline would be
associated with a darkened image
of the article subject to support
the message that this individual is
inherently guilty.
Further, bias is shown through a
2010 CNN commissioned research
study done by child psychologist
and University of Chicago professor,
Margaret Beale Spencer. Spencer
used dolls of varying skin tones and
had white and Black children decide
who is pretty or more intelligent
based on skin tone.
The results showed white children
chose dolls closer to their skin tone
for positive attributes and dark skin
dolls for negative attributes.
Behavior and mindsets like these
are carried over into the depiction
of female characters from film to
television. Light skin actresses are
given more roles as the love interest
and seen as wanted or valued. They
are also often used as a representation
of Black women.
Repeating this choice only solidifies
the association of light skin with
being better or more acceptable
because of the perception of being
closer to whiteness.
According to a 2021 report from The
Geena Davis Institute on Gender
and Media titled, Representations of
Black Women In Hollywood, based on
skin tone Black women as movie leads
were 38.1% light-skin tone, 42.9%
medium-skin tone, and 19% dark-skin
tone.
Though colorism continues to play
a role throughout personal and
professional lives, there is increasing
representation to show the beauty of
all skin tones. Television shows such
as Issa Rae’s Insecure or Beyoncé
Knowles-Carter’s song, Brown Skin
Girl both depict and shine the
spotlight on Black skin without
centering one complexion as better
than another.
“It was so important to me in Brown
Skin Girl that we represented all
different shades of brown,” Knowles-
Carter said in an interview with
Entertainment Tonight. “We wanted
every character to be shot in a regal
light… It was important that we are
all in this together and we all are
celebrating each other.”
Darker skin is slowly becoming
more accepted in society. Many
are accepting that their skin is
beautiful. Much more work needs to
continue to be done. The first step
is acknowledging that all shades are
important and worthy of respect and
admiration.
“I absolutely love my hair and
being natural. Going natural was
the best decision I ever made.”
Makiya Robinson
Sophomore, Kinesiology
“My go-to protective style would
have to be a good 30 inch bust
down lace front.”
Amil Tolen
Senior, Communicative Disorders
19

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEXIS BLUE
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc.
RECAP
Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc.
Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Inc.
On Friday, October 22nd, 2021, students gathered in Coleman Coliseum to
witness one of the most exciting yearly homecoming-season events. The
University of Alabama’s National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) put on the
show. Many of the eight NPHC organizations on UA’s campus find a group
identity in stepping, making the dance-art experience greater.
Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity, Inc.
Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity, Inc.

Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity, Inc.
Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity, Inc.
Stepping is a dance art that serves as a sense of expression
for members of NPHC organizations in particular. At
each event, NPHC fraternitites and sororities organize
their own steps, musical selections and overall stories and
themes. This allows for each organization to express who
they are and their talents through their art performance.
On UA’s campus, the annual step show has been a
homecoming tradition for more than 30 years and
organizers see no end in sight. The performances under
the lights may have ended, but the stepping certainly
did not. NPHC’s will continue to find group-expression
through their stepping: an art that forms their identities.
Sigma Gamma Rho
Sorority, Inc.
Sigma Gamma
Rho Sorority, Inc.
Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority, Inc.
Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity, Inc.
21
Photography by Alexis Blue

FASHION SHOW
FASHION SHOW
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TYLER HOGAN & MADISON CARMOUCHE
Tionna Taite and Candace Davis co-hosted the
fashion show as members of the Theta Sigma
Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc.
The Theta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc. held the Let Me See You Walk
Homecoming Fashion Show at the University
of Alabamas Student Center Ballroom during
homecoming week. This event gave students the
opportunity to showcase their skills as it relates to
design, styling, and modeling.
To watch the show, students bought a pair of clean,
gently worn or new shoes in lieu of tickets. The event
raised over 100 pairs of shoe donations all of which
went to the Soles4Souls charity.
22

TYLER HOGAN
HEADS OF HAIR
6
7
2 3
8
9
4
5
23
1. Bubble Ponytail, Amber Appling
2. Wash-and-Go, Autumn Williams
3. Temp-Fade, Justice Clark
4. Faux Locs, Nodiah Owens
5. Stitch Braids, Kennedi Hall
6. Silk Press, Jordan Watkins
7. Teeny Weeny Afro, Dejah Williams
8. Wash-and-Go, William Anderson
9. Silk Press Sew-In, Alyssa Page
10. Bubble Ponytail, Amber Appling
11. Two Strand Twist, Shak Mullings
10
11

12
16
17
18
13
19
20
21
14
15
12. Faux Locks, Nodiah Owens
13. Fro-Hawk, Lawrence Fencher
14. Locs (Rope Twist), Fa’Marlon Mobley
15. High Puff, Amil Tolen
16. Two Strand Twist, Shak Mullings
17. Braid Out, Aysia Washington
18. Stitch Braids, Kennedi Hall
19. Silk Press, Jordan Watkins
20. Side Part Bob,
Ashleigh Hartnett
21. Waves (Brush Cut), Jacob Orr
24
Photography by Tyler Hogan

EXPERIENCES
EXPERIENCES
EXPERIENCES
EXPERIENCES
EXPERIENCES
EXPERIENCES
JOHN METCHIE III
Junior, Football (Wide Receiver)
“My hair means my culture to me. My hair is one
of the ways people notice my culture.”

JOLENCIA JONES
GOOD HAIR
DOESN’T
EXIST.
There is no such thing as good
hair.
The phrase, “good hair,” has been
used for decades to praise a looser
hair texture. The problematic phrase
praises a certain texture while
degrading another. Everyone is
different, which is why hair comes in
multiple lengths and curl patterns.
The theology of good hair is rooted
in texturism. Texturism is the
discrimination of coarser hair with
the idea that looser hair textures
are better. This is amplified with
the eurocentric beauty standards
currently set in place.
Texturism has many effects on
how the natural hair movement
is showcased. Many natural hair
campaigns highlight women with
looser curl patterns because coarser
hair is viewed as unprofessional or
unkempt. With the current movement
constantly praising women with
looser curls, many women have
found themselves finding ways to
change their hair. Although the curl
pattern can be altered with heat and
chemicals, the original hair texture is
determined by genetics.
In 1997, Andre Walker, Oprah
Winfrey’s hair stylist, created a hair
typing system that is still used today.
The system divided textures into
four different types with each one
having a subcategory, ‘a’ through ‘c’,
depending on its looseness. Type 1
represents straight textures, type
2 represents wavy textures, type 3
represents curly textures and type 4
represents coily textures.
The hair typing system is often
criticized because of the texture
hierarchy that can be viewed as
offensive since the curliest textures
are last. The system also has
been criticized for not accurately
representing each texture. It is
important to note that someone can
have multiple textures throughout
their hair.
Type 1 hair is straight with no curl
pattern. Type 2 hair has curl patterns
that resemble the shape of the letter
S. 2A waves don’t have much volume
while 2B waves tend to have more
definition. 2C waves are thicker and
wider.
Type 3 hair has a curl pattern that
resembles a corkscrew. 3A curls are
typically large, loose and defined.
3B curls are the balance between
the looseness of 3A curls and the
tightness of 3C curls. 3C curls are
tight and resemble a corkscrew when
defined.
Type 4 hair doesn’t get much praise.
It’s described as more fragile than
other textures because of how tight
the curls and coils are. It is often seen
as difficult to manage, specifically 4C
hair. The 4A hair type is springy with
coils that resemble the letter O. 4B
has a curl pattern that represents the
letter Z. 4C has very tight coils and
is typically less defined than other
textures.
Some hairstylists charge clients more
26

if they have type 4 hair because they
feel this hair texture is too tough
and takes more time to manage. This
discrimination leads to Black women
constantly styling their own hair.
A portion of Black women are also
alienated for having kinkier or coily
hair.
Many Black women wear their hair
in protective styles. Protective styles
include braids, weaves, twists or wigs.
Others have relaxed their hair.
A relaxer is used to chemically
straighten the hair and alter its
texture.
Relaxers have become a divisive topic
among Black women. Some suggest
that women who get relaxers hate
their natural hair. Others have chosen
to alienate women with relaxers.
It’s important to note that it’s a
personal choice to decide to wear
protective hairstyles, natural
hairstyles or relaxed hairstyles. If
someone decides to alter their hair, it
doesn’t mean they hate their natural
hair.
Over the past years many women have
decided to do a big chop with their
hair as a way to start over. Hair length
is often associated with how healthy
or unhealthy someone’s hair is.
Women with shorter hair sometimes
face backlash for their hair.
4C hair tends to appear as the shortest
texture but it’s the texture with the
most shrinkage and breakage. The
process is a domino effect because
shrinkage leads to the hair becoming
tangled. This makes the hair strands
weak which leads to breakage.
Any hair texture or length can be
considered unhealthy. Excessive heat,
lack of moisture or overprocessing
the hair are a few ways hair can be
easily damaged.
Everyone’s hair is different. It’s
important to find a regimen that
works best for you personally.
Various things can affect hair growth
positively or negatively, such as diet,
shampoos, conditioners, oils and
personal habits.
All hair types are beautiful. The most
important thing to remember is that
length, texture or thickness doesn’t
matter. The ultimate goal is to have
healthy hair.
27
Pictured: Zikeal Howard , Autumn Williams,
Jasmine Jones, and Nathan Brown.

TIONNA TATE
HAIR CARE IS SELF-CARE:
A Q&A WITH WILLONAWHIM
Will’s natural hair videos have helped him grow a
community of over 452,000 YouTube subscribers.
What does your natural hair
routine look like?
My natural hair routine is pretty
simple. Once a week (usually on a
Sunday) I condition and detangle first,
shampoo, deep condition, moisturize
with a leave in conditioner and style
with a gel! In that order! I’m out of
the bathroom in an hour tops.
What is your favorite
natural hair product?
My favorite natural hair product
right now is from Luster’s Pink (an
old school Black household favorite).
They have a curl and twist pudding
from their shea butter and coconut
oil line that is so versatile and
perfectly moisturizing.
What is your go-to hairstyle?
My go to hairstyle as of late is
the classic wash and go, but don’t
challenge me to a twist-off because
I’ll win!
What advice do you have
for people who are just
beginning their natural hair
journey?
If you’re just beginning, realize that
taking care of your hair is work, but
it’s good work - it’s self care. Listen
to your feelings as you’re taking care
of your hair. Is this frustrating? Why?
Then move through it with intention.
Figure out which hairstyles bring you
the most joy and definitely ask for
help when you need it!
Photo courtesy of WillonaWhim
(Instagram, @willnotwilly)
28

29
ASHLEE WOODS
MY
The Weaponizing of Black Athletes’
Appearance in Media
wish we wouldn’t police each
“I other’s hair and beauty choices
as much as we do,” blogger Patrice
Yusrik said in an interview.
Hair is crucial to Black culture in the
United States. It allows us to put our
creative stamp on society. It gives Black
people a boost of confidence when one
has a fresh fade or knotless braids.
The world of sports is no stranger to
this.
Black athletes are not afraid to have
their hair, nails or makeup done for
a game. The late Florence Griffith-
Joyner was known for her long, flowing
hair and bright-colored nails. Former
Auburn women’s basketball player
Unique Thompson went viral for
playing entire games with a complete
glam.
Gabrielle Douglas, Sha’Carri
Richardson, the list goes on. Black
athletes and their hairstyle are often
the center of attention.
But just like most things in Black
culture, it is often met with opposition.
It has become too common for a Black
athlete to conform to universally white
beauty standards. The culture around
Black hair is often misunderstood or
ridiculed. The misunderstanding leads
to people taking drastic measures to
change Black hair.
Tennis stars Serena and Venus
Williams were heavily criticized early
in their career for wearing beads.
Commentators often talked about the
sounds the beads made, despite the
grunts and the roars from the players
muffling any noise from the beads.
In 2018, Andrew Johnson had his
locks cut in front of a crowd before
his wrestling match. The video of
the incident went viral, as it depicted
Johnson angered by the situation.
In each of these situations, these
athletes were criticized for simply
having different hair.
Yet, Black people have fought for their
right to have part of their identity
respected.
Former Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen
Iverson skyrocketed into fame in the
late 1990s. The former No. 1 NBA draft
pick from Hampton, Virginia was
known for his gritty play on the court.
Iverson was also known for his style:
tattoos, a muscular frame, baggy
clothes and cornrows to complete the
look.
America during that time was still
recovering from the rise of “gangsta
rap,” the NWA, and the mediainfluenced
rap rivalry between
America’s East and West Coast.
White Americans wanted nothing
less than hip-hop imagery and the
urban Black culture of the 1990s being
introduced into the NBA.
But Iverson persisted.
Iverson wasn’t the only one that caused
waves with their looks. Former New
York Nets and 76ers forward Julius
Irving shook the league with his afro.
Former Boston Celtics center Bill
Russell caused issues with his goatee.
Russell and Irving weren’t more
polarizing than Iverson.
The baggy clothes, the sleeve
tattoos, the cornrows. These things
represented the crossover between
hip-hop and basketball. To Iverson, he
was just expressing himself.
To the primarily white audience he
played in front of, he was a “thug.”
It was much easier to vilify Iverson
for having cornrows. To understand
his style meant humanizing Black
athletes...
That’s something that just doesn’t
happen.
Black athletes are often caricatured
as angry, aggressive, brash. Their
“outlandish’’ hair is used as a weapon
to uplift white athletes. One of the
most notable cases is former NBA star
Latrell Sprewell.
A former University of Alabama athlete,
Sprewell is arguably more known for
attacking former Golden State Warrior
coach, P.J. Carlesimo. The incident
occurred at a December 1997 practice.
The aftermath, however, was probably
more provocative than the incident
itself.
Later that month, Sports Illustrated
ran a story about the incident. The
cover featured Sprewell; flexed
muscles, mid-scream, hair braided
tightly in cornrows.
He was depicted as the angry
Black man.
The cover’s tagline didn’t help
the depiction at all, either.
“Latrell Sprewell has been
castigated and vilified,
and any player that gets

the simple urge to manually alter his
coach’s windpipe will surely remember
Sprewell’s experience before he acts on
that impulse. Problem solved. But the
Sprewell incident raises other issues
that can pose threats to the NBA’s
future, issues of power and money and
— most dangerous of all — race.”
Sprewell never condoned his actions.
But Carlesimo wasn’t exactly innocent.
Carlesimo was known to be hard on his
players and to be unpopular because
of it. He was also known for alienating
players.
“We’ve been face-to-face on many
occasions,” former Portland
Trailblazers player, Rod Strickland,
said.
Despite his methods not working,
Carlesimo was the face of several
campaigns.
But Carlesimo wasn’t on the cover of
the December 1997 issue of Sports
Illustrated mid-scream or in the faces
of his players.
Sprewell is the one.
“One of my first thoughts was, at least
put P.J. on there looking angry too,” Phil
Taylor, writer of the Sports Illustrated
article, said.
Taylor did not see the cover until
after the issue had been printed. The
tagline was lengthy for a SI cover, but
the editors loved it so much. Taylor felt
a lot of pride in his words because he
thought it would frame Sprewell in a
different characterization other than
angry.
That was before he saw the cover.
“My words, but they added that picture
of Sprewell, and that was disappointing
to me,” Taylor said.
It didn’t help that Carlesimo was liked
by people that worked in the media.
Sprewell didn’t give much to the media,
which soured their relationship.
The then sports bible made the Black
athlete the villain with one artistic
action. Taylor’s nuanced look at the
incident was marred by the framing of
Sprewell’s character.
“We knew that by the time the story
came out, the story might have
advanced beyond what we knew at the
time we were writing,” Taylor said. “So
we wanted to come up with something
to better put this into context, and
that’s where we started talking about
the issue of race in the NBA and what
the Sprewell incident had to do with
that.”
The staff at Sports Illustrated knew
the gravity this story had. The way the
publication decided to frame this story
was the way people would consume
and create opinions. How they chose to
depict Sprewell set the tone for people’s
perception of Sprewell and Carlesimo.
At the intersection of race and sports,
Sports Illustrated took the wrong
route. A route that still permeates
sports.
Black athletes are more than aware that
their hair creates controversy. If it’s not
neatly combed, if it’s natural, if it’s a
bright color, white audiences will find
a way to use that image as a fear tactic
against Black athletes.
Almost as if Black people have no place
in sports should they continue to wear
their hair how they want it. Almost
as if the entertainment Black athletes
provide is not worth seeing purple
colored braids on the television screen.
Now, as sports and race become even
more intertwined, it’s not up to Black
athletes to change the narrative.
Their counterparts must be able to
look within and see just how their
fear of anything non-white drives the
depiction and discussion around Black
hair in sports.
JOHN METCHIE III, FOOTBALL (WR)
John Metchie III is a junior and the starting wide reciever
at the University of Alabama. “My go-to styles for games
are two strand twists. It’s simple, looks good, and
easy to maintain,” said Metchie.
Photography by Tyler Hogan.
30

TA’KYLA BATES
MY CULTURE IS
NOT YOUR TREND
Whether it’s our hairstyles,
our fashion, or the way we
speak, Black culture has been stolen
from Black people for decades.
Often being coined as “ghetto” and
“unprofessional” in society, but
considered a trend when people like
the Kardashian start to do it. It’s
no secret that Black hairstyles like
cornrows, dreadlocks, box braids,
etc. are a part of Black culture. But,
many white people have worn these
same hairstyles, taken them as theirs
and are seen as “trendy.” There is a
deep-rooted culture in most of these
hairstyles and to put it plain and
simple it’s cultural appropriation. So
let’s talk about it.
The first known form of dreadlocks
was found in ancient Egypt by
archaeologists who have found
mummified Egyptian people. Other
forms of “dreadlocks” date back to
Vikings, the Celts, and Romans. The
question may arise, “Weren’t Viking,
Celts and Romans European?” So,
aren’t dreadlocks a part of European
culture too? Not necessarily. In
the 1930s in Ethiopia, emperor
Ras Tafari was forced into exile
and his hair was threatened to be
cut off. This sparked the “Rasta”
movement, and people a part of this
movement were called Rastafarians,
they sported dreadlocks, which
people believed to be “disgusting
and frightening,” giving the word
“dread.” The Rasta community took
back what dreadlocks meant for the
Ethiopian people. Some might say
that dreadlocks became popularized
by reggae artist Bob Marley. So, yes
Vikings and Romans wore their hair
this way but in the 1930s dreadlocks
were frowned upon and Black people
were criticized for them. That’s
the problem white people wearing
hairstyles that Black people were
once hated for. White celebrities like
Justin Bieber wearing locks are seen
as cultural appropriation because of
the oppression Black people had to
face because of locks.
Maybe one of the biggest cultural
appropriators are the Kardashians.
The Kardashian family is infamous
for their stealing of Black culture
and making it their own. If you were
searching “Kardashian braids” on
google, box braids and cornrows
would come up. These are historically
braids that have been traced back to
Africa, which people now refer to as
“Kardashian braids.” One twitter user
goes on to say, “The beauty industry
and public figures like Kylie Jenner
and Kim Kardashian have a long
history of feeding into or exploiting
and co-opting Black fashion and
culture.”
In 2018, at the MTV Movie Awards,
Kim Kardashian wore Fulani braids,
which originate from the Fula people,
primarily Muslim people in West
Africa and Sahel region. Kardashian
referred to the braids as “Bo Derek
braids.” Bo Derek is a white American
actress who wore Fulani braids in her
movie 10. People became outraged
that Kardashian referred to the
hairstyle as “Bo Derek braids” instead
of it’s cultural name of Fulani braids.
“They are called Fulani braids or some
may even say cornrows. You could
of called them either one but you
called them “Bo derek” giving credit
to a white woman for a Black style
knowing you already catch heat for
culture vulturing. #KimKardashian
#culturalvul,” said @teenagenature
on Twitter.
The history of braids, cornrows,
locs, etc. runs deep within African
and Black heritage. They represent
more than just a hairstyle. These
styles represent resistance, survival
and decades of discrimination. Most
braid hairstyles originated in Africa
and became a form of resistance
for enslaved people. The intricate
braiding patterns were used to hide
foods like rice and create maps for
escaping slavery. These hairstyles are
a part of the Black struggle, and still,
continue to be.
“My most recommended hair care brand would
be “As I Am.” Their products work the best for
my hair and give me the best results.”
31
William Royal
Graduate Student, Kinesiology

As a society, people are working
together to end discrimination based
on people’s hairstyle, specifically
Black people. In 2019, the Crown
Act was passed which prohibits
discrimination based on hair texture;
as of 2021, only 11 U.S. states have
passed the Crown Act. So for it to
take so long for Black people to fight
against discrimination based on what
their hair looks like, and for people
like Justin Bieber and the Kardashians
to start trends for something Black
people have been scrutinized for
decades is the biggest problem we
face today.
According to Forbes, Black women
are 80% more likely to change
their hairstyle to a more “formal
professional” look. Formal and
professional meaning straightened
or something that isn’t “distracting.”
Most white people and non-Black
people probably don’t have to deal
with being discriminated against
because of the way their hair
naturally is -- a struggle for a Black
person in their daily lives. Society is
based on the white beauty standard;
so having coily, kinky hair goes
against the normality of society,
until a white person does it and it’s
cute and a new trending topic. Like
Amandla Stenburg once said in her
YouTube video Don’t Cash Crop on
my Cornrows, “What if we loved
Black people as much as we love Black
Culture?”
“My goal is for my hair to
be healthier and softer than
it is now.”
Jordan Gilbert
Sophomore, Apparell and
Textiles & Fashion Retail
“A wash day for me can be from
one hour to six. It depends on
what I’m going for that week.”
Lawrence Fencher
Junior, Healthcare Management

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