Most people who are not of African descent usually don't think much about African hair. They think it's just hair and it's no big deal. This is where they would be wrong. Hair occupies a very important place in African society and is part of the collective struggle that Africans have faced since slavery. Most Africans, especially African Americans, wear their hair in an altered state, whether from chemicals or heat, and are afraid to show off their hair as it naturally is. People of African descent should be encouraged to wear their natural hair because: chemical and heat styles are harmful and unhealthy to the body, it is psychologically debilitating to try to blend in, and living the way you were born is liberating . it is important to tell a story for those who are not familiar with this topic. African hair is naturally curly. The degree to which these curls are twisted varies from person to person depending on their genetic makeup. This can range from loose waves to ultra-tight, barely-there curls, resulting in an afro (this is the most common hair type among African people). In early American history, European settlers purchased African slaves for work. plantations. Every aspect of the African, including his hair, was associated with poverty, stupidity and savagery. This has continued to the present day. “In the early 1900s, Madam CJ Walker was granted a patent for the development of the “hot comb,” also known as the “pressing comb.” This device was the first of its kind to be marketed by a black woman to other black women, and it completely changed the hair game. Once the straightened hair is exposed to moisture, it would return to its original state. In the 1960s, G...... middle of paper......gummy and unhealthy for the body, it was psychologically debilitating to try to blend in, and living as one was born was liberating . In 2013, no one is forcing African Americans to conform to Eurocentric norms. It's time to move on to what's natural. It's time to truly be yourself. Works Cited Patton, Tracey O. "Hey Girl, Am I More Than My Hair?: African American Women and Their Struggles with Beauty, Body Image, and Hair." NWSA Journal 18.2 (2006): 24-51. International Humanities completed. Internet. November 17, 2013. Sieber, Roy and Frank Herreman. “HAIR in African art and culture”. African Arts 33.3 (2000): 54. Humanities International Complete. Internet. November 17, 2013. Thompson, Cheryl. “Black women and identity: what does hair have to do with it?” Michigan Women's Studies 22 (2009): 78-90. International Humanities completed. Internet. November 17. 2013.