Franklin's paper the statesman. (Denver, Colo.), 05 Nov. 1909. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn91052311/1909-11-05/ed-1/seq-6/
Systemic racism is an issue in the United States. Students can explore how seemingly trivial aspects of appearance are deeply intertwined with power structures and systemic racism. Talking about Black hair highlights how these systems aim to erase cultural identity and enforce conformity to dominant norms. Students need to learn about the historical and ongoing impact of hair discrimination to help them understand the psychological and emotional toll it takes on individuals and entire communities. This leads to empathy and compassion building. This resource will help students analyze and question social norms, identify biases, and challenge systems of oppression. They will learn to examine critically how standards are constructed and how they perpetuate inequality.
This resource will help students affected by discrimination and systemic racism better understand the historical context of hair discrimination. This can lead to an appreciation of their cultural heritage and help them embrace their natural beauty. Learning about hair discrimination can help marginalized students resist harmful stereotypes and embrace their authentic selves.
This is an advertisement for PORO Hair Grower in Franklin’s The Statesman. The image shows founder Annie Malone Pope-Turnbo and a woman listed as L. L. Roberts with long, straight hair. The captions under the photos read, “4 years ago my hair was only a finger-length, and my temples were bald halfway up my head” for Pope-Turnbo and “4 years ago my hair just covered my shoulders,” for Roberts. The advertisements state that fake hair growth products are on the market and warn readers to beware and check for the official PORO products.
- This source is a PORO hair care advertisement in The Statesman. This advertisement in the bottom-right corner of the page includes an image of hair care results. PORO was founded by Annie Malone, who was a pioneering Black female entrepreneur. Although the advertisement is for the hair growth product, PORO grew into a thriving business empire. It included PORO College, which was a training school for Black women to become beauticians, and a network of salons across the United States designed for Black hair care. PORO played a large role in empowering Black women economically and socially.
- In 1909, Eurocentric beauty standards influenced societal perceptions of beauty. This meant that by default, women of color did not fit descriptions of “beautiful” women. The desire for acceptable or “good” hair within a culture that devalued Black features led to the growth of a booming Black hair care economy. Many people have heard of Madam CJ Walker and know her as a pioneer of the Black hair care community, but many other women pioneered hair care. They developed and marketed hair care products designed for Black women. This was also an important year in Black hair care as Garrett Morgan, a Black inventor, accidentally developed the first chemical relaxer. Relaxers, also known as perms, became a staple in Black hair care despite the harsh chemicals and potential health risks.
- This advertisement shows the desire for long, straight hair, which is not a characteristic of Black hair, which typically coils on itself and grows up rather than down.
- What is the main message of the advertisement?
- Who is the target audience for this advertisement?
- What are some of the keywords and phrases used in the ad?
- How did Eurocentric beauty standards impact Black women during this time?
- What role did hair play in the lives of Black women during this time?
- How does this ad reflect the social and cultural values of the time?
- What were the potential benefits of using PORO products for Black women at the time?
- How does this ad reflect the relationship between beauty, race, and gender?
- How do media and advertising continue to shape our perceptions of beauty today?
- What are some examples of how beauty standards can be oppressive or limiting?
- How can we challenge and resist harmful beauty standards?
New Mexico Adopted Content Standards
|
Speaking & Listening |
Literacy in History/Social Studies |
|
SL.11-12.3: Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
|
RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
RH.11-12.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
|
- Students can participate in a close reading and analysis of the advertisement. They should specifically look at the literary devices used, analyzing the persuasive techniques such as testimonials, emotional appeals, and descriptive language. This could lead to research projects on Annie Malone, specifically looking at her life and career, or a project on connecting the ad to the broader historical context of race, gender, and social change in the early 20th century.
- Students could pretend they are a woman living in 1909 and write a letter to the founder of the company expressing their thoughts and feelings about her advertisement. Alternatively, they could create artwork inspired by the ad or by the themes of beauty, identity, and self-acceptance.
- Students could create a modern-day advertisement for a hair care product targeted toward a specific demographic. Have them analyze how advertising techniques have changed over the years. Alternatively, they could compare and contrast the PORO advertisement with a contemporary hair care advertisement. They should analyze similarities and differences in terms of target audience, message, and advertising techniques.
The policing of Black hair is a controversial topic, and some parents and/or administrators may be resistant to this topic for several reasons. Some people believe in colorblindness. These individuals do not believe race should be a factor in education and that focusing on issues such as the policing of Black hair or discrimination causes divisions. Some people with conservative political views may object to the inclusion of what they believe is critical race theory or discussions of systemic racism in the classroom.
Other people may believe that this topic distracts from the “core” curriculum. Some individuals misunderstand or lack understanding of the historical and contemporary significance of hair discrimination and its impact on the Black community.
Links to resources for approaching those topics
- “‘Our Hair Is Our Identity’: What Educators Need to Know About Hair Discrimination Laws.” An Education Week article by Ileana Najarro giving a brief overview of the CROWN Act and its importance. Also, a great way to check personal biases.
- “Hair Discrimination—Stop Pupils Being Unfairly Singled-Out for Their Appearance.” More information on hair discrimination in education and how educators can become more aware.
- “Eliminating Anti-Black Hair Policies at School.” Although geared toward school policymakers, this Edutopia article is an important read for teachers as well.
- Advertisement in the Arizona Gleam for Madam CJ Walker’s hair grower. Another advertisement by a Black female entrepreneur. This is a more traditional advertisement than the PORO ad.
- Heart Leaf hair tone advertisement in The Southern Indicator. Positioned next to an ad by Madam CJ Walker, this advertisement promises “long soft, silky and straight” hair. This image is in the last column of the page on the right, under the ad for loans.
- If I Am Not My Hair, Why Is Society So Freaked Out About It? A lesson plan to help students explore how dominant culture beauty standards and discrimination based on hairstyles have impacted African Americans.
- How Natural Black Hair at Work Became a Civil Rights Issue. A great read for all.
- How I Helped Students Reclaim Pride for Their Black Hair With My Curriculum. A great blog post that includes ways teachers can teach about hair discrimination in the classroom.