(De)Tangling the Business of Black Women's Hair

Catalog description

For many black women, their understanding of their race, gender, class and identity and notions of beauty are linked to hair. Divided into three sections, this course will first seek to understand the historical, structural, and economic dimensions of black women's hair. We will cover topics such as labor, the service industry, and how the black beauty salon presents a rare opportunity for black women to become entrepreneurs. We will also discuss the multi-billion dollar industry and economy founded on black women's hair, from dreadlocks and perms, to weaves and wigs. The second part of the course will examine how the beauty salon as a place presents the opportunity for intra-racial community building and networking, with predominately Asian-owned hair supply stores and the rise of African- and Dominican-owned hair salons. Third, we will explore how black women interpret the connections between their racial and gender identity and their hair; and we will examine how the politics of hair links to notions of racial authenticity, colorism, class, and attractiveness. Readings may include: Doing Business with Beauty: Black women, Hair Salons, and the Racial Enclave Economy by Adia Harvey-Wingfield, Hair Matters: Beauty, Power, and Black Women's Consciousness by Ingrid Banks, and Ain't I a Beauty Queen? Black Women, Beauty, and the Politics of Race by Maxine Leeds Craig.