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The "Black is Beautiful" movement began in the 1960s as the major black liberation movements of the natural hair movement.

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The movement helped black people gain self-confidence during the era and it was celebrated for their natural hair, skin, and their facial features. The black liberation movements and civil rights symbols such as, Angela Davis and the Black Panthers Activist Marcus Garvey encouraged women to embrace their natural kinks. "Don't remove the kinks from your hair! Remove them from your brain!"-Marcus Garvey

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The natural hair movement eventually began to slow down due to social pressures placed on the African American communities because society wanted to assimilate to European Beauty Standards. Black women were now using relaxers to straighten their kinky coily hair to bone straight hair.

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The 1990s gave black women the versatility for black hair and a more representation in pop culture and mainstream media for creative expression. Braids-Box braids, Microbraids were a form of protective hairstyles for a couple of months to apply less manipulation on their real hair during their daily activities. Pixie cuts were known for their low maintenance, creativity with little teasing. Short hair styles such as a pixie cut gave women the femininity and strength to redefine their beauty. The swooped bang was a retro vibe and was very trendy during the 90s, it was swooped to the side to allow a flattering face framing effect.

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During this new movement it has been revitalized with the emergence of natural hair. Relaxers in the black community has declined and more women are embracing their natural coils or started wearing wigs, extensions, and braids as a protective style. Black women were finding their identity in their hair rather if they wore an Afro, or a twist out, but the natural hair was being more embraced in mainstream media then it has before.

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As we are in 2024, the natural hair movement still continues with more and more women and men rocking their natural hair beginning with their loc (dreadlocks) journey. The different styles have a true catalog of its own of versatility. Women can now get wigs of all sort of hairstyles such as box braids, pixie cuts, locs, Afros, twist outs, straight hair, and swoop bangs to rock at any day of the week.

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In West African Societies in the 1400s, women would use their hairstyles as a way to communicate with others. Displaying different designs in their braids for an escape route from slavery, their social status, material status, and their ethnicity. Black hair required maintenance through protective styles which helped black hair from losing moisture and preventing the hair from breaking. One key thing I found interesting is enslaved Africans would use rice and seeds and braid them into their hair for the chance of escaping slavery as well as planting the seeds to create a source of food. Slave owners would shave women, men and children's heads as violent act to erase the identities of Blacks and their cultures.

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The 1900s was a revolutionary time for black hair. Annie Turnbo Malone debuted her hair Grower products in 1902. The product was designed to improve scalp health and promote hair growth. Madame C.J. Walker is the first self made millionaire who started her own hair care brand in 1905. Madame CJ, was a sales girl for Annie Malone. Garret Morgan developed the first chemical relaxer in 1909.

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The era of finger waves, wavy bobs, and pin curls. The bob was revolutionary cut-short and slick. During the Roaring Twenties black hair trends were on the rise leaning towards more feminine looks. The women who became hair icons during The Harlem Renaissance were highlighting black women who started beauty trends.

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The invention of the hair weave, in the 1940s continued as black women wore their hair short and straight with added curls. Other popular styles were the Victory Rolls, the chignon, the croquignole curl, pageboys, and wavy hair. The 1950s introduced the first sew-in hair, developed by Christina Jenkins. The idea came to her by attaching the hair to a net which will then be sewn onto the cornrow base (braids) of the clients hair and thus she will began with a needle and thread to sew the weave to the braid. However, as black nationalism was on arise, Eurocentric influenced hairstyles became a topic of debate.