7 Must Watch Videos that Explore the History of Black Hair in America

Black hair has an amazing history particularly on American soil.  There are a few must see films (some short, some long) that detail its beautiful history. Here is our curated pick of noteworthy black hairstory pieces that you should check out if you haven’t already:

In just 60 seconds the timeline of black hair and beauty is covered. This video does a great job of taking us back to our favorite styles like the good old box braids and the classic Afro.

Chime does a superb job  covering our roots all the way back to the motherland detailing the significance of hair styling in African tribes, through the creamy crack era and the present day desire to embrace healthy natural hair.

Another piece of content gold by Chime that explores the history of weave. Do you know where wigs and weaves originated? Watch this short documentary piece to learn how Egyptians used hair pieces as a form of self expression.

Our Hair-itage A Natural Hair Documentary by Crystolyn Macklin shares the personal experiences and journeys of women who have come to embrace their natural hair texture.

In 2013 Un-ruly held a public art exhibit in NYC entitled “You Can Touch My Hair”. What’s typically a big no, no, becomes a learning experience for nearby bystanders. The conversations in this film get pretty deep!

This one is an oldie but overall a goody. It provides the background and an understanding of the importance of hair grooming in African societies prior to slavery. Combs were created  specifically to care for Afro textured hair and there also was a significant amount of time spent to elaborately design them by hand. In some instances men would present them as gifts to the woman whom he loved.

Michaela Angela Davis recently did a series called Hair Tales, featuring sit down chit chat sessions with celebrities like Regina King, Kim Coles and Tasha Smith.