The art and history of Black hair on view at Kent State University Museum

Hair has played a significant role in the lives of African Americans throughout history. It’s deeply rooted in Black culture. How hair was worn was once an indication of one’s social status and background. Since arriving in this country four centuries ago, Black hair has been entangled with African interpretations of beauty and the ideology of white Europeans.

On view now at the Kent State University Museum is an exhibit which looks at the long fraught story of black hair. “Textures: The Art and History of Black Hair" runs through August 2022. 

A detail view of hair product as seen in the exhibition “Textures: The Art and History of Black Hair." [Dennis Knowles / Ideastream Public Media]