My Childhood Home For As Long As I

Since the early 1900s, Black women have had a fascination with their hair. More explicitly, they have had a fascination with straightening their hair. The need to be accepted by the majority class has caused them to do so. Though the image of straight hair as being better than coarse hair still hasn’t left the Black community, there has been a surge of non straight hairstyles since the nineteen sixties. Wearing more natural hairstyles, which ironically enough include ‘weaves’ and ‘hair extensions’ has been considered to be more empowered and more enlightened. However, this image comes with a price, and though it appears the ‘natural’ hairstyle movement has advanced Black women, it has actually set

Hair is an aspect of identity many women are made to confront. It is a projection of how a woman would like to be perceived and who she believes she is within her society. Black women in America face an interesting dilemma when it comes to hair. When African slaves were brought to America, they were confronted with the Eurocentric ideal of beauty, which, in addition to pale skin and Anglo Saxon facial structure, also included straightened hair. As time progressed, black people sought new ways to assimilate. Throughout the course of time many hair straightening agents such as straightening irons, perms, and hair extensions have been used to help aid black people in mimicking the hairstyles of the socially accepted white standards. More

In the late 1960s, the Afro hairstyles became a political statement, announcing, “I am black and proud” and challenged white aesthetics. This movement asked Black people to show their natural beauty without shame, spreading to the world that black is beautiful (BlackHistory.com). However, two decades later, this statement has slowly faded away and has been replaced by fake hair weaves and hair straightening chemical creams. Today, African Americans spend over half a trillion dollars on hair care and weaves, more than any other racial group. Majority of African American women do not feel the need to wear their hair naturally, and choose to chemically straighten their hair (Johnson & Bankhead, 2014).

When I once decided to take out my protective style and wear my hair in its natural state, I received several negative remarks. As a young black female I was bothered and wondered why. I wondered why I was receiving so many negative remarks especially from my fellow Black women. An individual went as far to tell me “your hair looks nice but do not wear that to a job interview”. Hair and the styling of it has been a staple of the Black community for centuries. In African American culture, an individual’s hair spoke volumes about that person. By looking at a person’s hair, one could tell where that person was from, what tribe he or she was a member of and even the status within that tribe. As time progressed the influence and importance of hair

Through collage and drawing, I show the relationship between these women and how historical stereotypes effect the way that American culture represents African American hair. Many of those stereotypes are generated

The author should dive some more into what it had meant for women back then to have a certain kind of hairstyle during the political movement period, between the 1960s to 1970s. One of the main reasons for the political movement was to help bring awareness to the issues whether the black women should straighten their hair or not, and if there were going to be any consequences of doing that. Many were afraid of getting openly killed for changing the way they were wearing their hair, from mostly wearing it in the natural form to the recent popular straightening

“Mom please, stop!” I looked into her glaring big, green eyes. When we went grocery shopping a week ago, someone had said that we look alike. I could never really see the resemblance. Feature-wise, she looked disgusting. Her hair was put up, but it wasn’t like most people’s, where it was brushed and put up. No, it was thrown up, with an uneven array of bumps and knots. I couldn’t even stand to look at her for very long.

His side of the family is black with majority having coarse curly hair, which they refer to as “bad hair” that the females always perm. My dad always told me how lucky I was to have gotten my mom’s straight hair and not his “bad hair”. Since I did not have to perm my hair growing up, it was surprising to read the pain that these black Dominican women go through to get straight hair. On page two, where one woman described the pain she experienced while getting a perm being so bad that she began to pee made me wince. Even after the procedure was done, her hair was left with blisters and burns that her hair could not be brushed. I could only imagine how much it hurt; it is terrible that women feel that they have to go to this length to be accepted. It was interesting to read that a white woman with straight hair curling her hair is considered funny, as Black Dominicans go through terrible lengths to get straight

The movie “La Casa de mi Padre” takes place in Mexico and represents family values and the cost of drug rivalries. In this movie the main character (Armando Alvarez) is a “ranchero” on his fathers land and the idiot of the family. Armando lives with his father in the house of his father, as enforced in the title, and although not heavily educated and lacks the qualities of a successful man as consistently pointed of by his father finds greater purpose when his brother comes back to town. The film begins by helping the viewer identify all the main characters in the movie and there place in the film. The issues faced in the film are created when Armando 's brother (Raul) and beloved and favorite son to Pedro returns to his father 's ranch as a successful businessman. This is the first consequential action that begin to dictate the direction of this movie. As Raul returns he brings with him his lover and hopefully soon to be wife. Pedro quickly gives his blessing to his son and begins planning the wedding. Accompany Rauls return to the family ranch Armando reaches the conclusion that the business that his brother has gotten himself into is the drug business. Appalled by the the idea of his brother getting involved in such evil and threatening the family name Armado addresses to Raul to confirm the accusation. Armando is enraged by his brothers stupidity and utter disregard for the pride of his family. He directs his hate and blame for his brothers poor decisions on his new

Something that is really important to me is Puerto Rico and my family there. The reasons as to why Puerto Rico and my family are important to me is because my family remembers me even though I don't remember them. There are a lot of fun places to go to. Also, I grew up there l. First, my family always come up to me and ask me if I remember them. No matter how many times I go there I will always forget some of my family, but they don't forget me. Next, every time I go to Puerto Rico I always visit new places. There's a place called Parque de las Palomas, which in English is just pigeon park. You can feed the pigeons there and in my opinion it's really fun l. Lastly, I grew up in Puerto Rico. I lived there when I was little in a house

The short old woman with her round tiny glasses stood in awe at the sight of my hair. Once again my tangled frizzy hair had ruined the day. I stood awkwardly starring back at the woman wondering if this would be the end. Would my hair shatter my mother’s dreams? Luckily, there are wonderful things like hair straighteners and frizz tamers. The photographer sat me on a bumpy wooden chair and she turned on several iron curlers. The woman grabbed a bottle moose and drenched my hair in it. Without heat protectant she took several curling irons and stuck them to my head. She had several participants that stood there holding the weapons burning of the lop layer of skin on my head. Several times they stuck the hot irons to my head, and each time the smell of burning flesh struck my nose. I let out several screams of pain as my flesh sizzled and turned red. I had to suffer through the pain for nearly two hours until finally the last strand of hair was set on

The straightener is a woman’s (or man’s) number one companion when it comes to getting ready for any occasion. It has been part of women’s lives throughout history, dating back to the ancient Egyptians. Long straight hair was a popular style in Egypt. If you were born with straight hair, you were blessed by the gods. If not, then you would heat up two flat iron plates in the fire and run it through your hair until smooth. This would often cause severe burns to the face and hands, but woman would go through anything to fit in. As time went on, different hair styles came and went. Then in the 1800s, straight hair once again became the new trend. Erica Feldman was the first to use an ironing device to style her hair. She used heated rods that

It is no doubt about it that everyone has somewhere that they have adapted to long enough to call it there home! A place they can relax and really be their selves, for some it may have been their grandparents house, aunties house or wherever they felt comfortable. Well I of course felt comfortable in my own home, a four bedroom house on the west side of North Miami. My home in Miami was perfect I had my own room, I was very comfortable there, and it was a place to get away from the world.

The fleeting changes that often accompany seasonal transition are especially exasperated in a child’s mind, most notably when the cool crisp winds of fall signal the summer’s end approaching. The lazy routine I had adopted over several months spent frolicking in the cool blue chlorine soaked waters of my family’s bungalow colony pool gave way to changes far beyond the weather and textbooks. As the surrounding foliage changed in anticipation of colder months, so did my family. My mother’s stomach grew larger as she approached the final days of her pregnancy and in the closing hours of my eight’ summer my mother gently awoke me from the uncomfortable sleep of a long car ride to inform of a wonderful surprise. No longer would we be returning

As spring approaches, the citizens of the rural, southwest town I call home prepare empty plots of dirt for gardening. That includes my own home. My mother is a gardening fiend. She plots out her garden months in advance, orders the fertilizer, and preps the tiller, all before the snow has even had a chance to melt. We 've grown everything, from simple squash plants to more complex green bean poles. I have many fond, and not so fond, learning experiences in the gardens of my past. (What are you doing! Don 't pull that up! That 's the cucumber plant, not a weed!) For those who wish to plant a garden for the first time, here are a few tips that will help you get started. Author 's note: All times I 'm listing are for the southwest desert regions of the United States. If you live in another area, get the proper planting times from a local gardener. 1. Get to know the proper planting times In Utah, my state, most vegetables can be planted toward the end of May. You can plant earlier, but extra care will need to be given. Most plants must be placed in walls of water to keep plants from freezing if planted prior to June. Wall of water conserve the heat, keeping the plant safe from temperature below 32 degrees. 2. Fertilize the garden prior to planting Fertilizers can be commercial chemicals or simple animal manure. Whatever you choose is fine, but manure tends to be cheaper and more easily obtained. Fertilizer adds nutrients to the soil, ensuring that vegetables will