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{{Short description|Hair style}}
{{other uses}} {{Other uses}}
⚫ ] with an Afro in 1974]]
{{Globalize|1=article|2=United States|date=April 2020}}
⚫ '''Afro''', sometimes abbreviated to ''''fro''' and also known as a "'''natural'''", is a ] worn naturally by people with lengthy ] or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally ] or ].<ref name=EBONY1> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref><ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref> The hairstyle is created by ]ing the hair away from the ], allowing the hair to extend out from the head in a large, rounded shape, much like a cloud or ball.<ref name=EBONY1/><ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/><ref name=JUNGLE> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref><ref name=HAIRDRESSING> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref><ref name=TIME1> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref>
⚫ ] with an afro]]
⚫ The '''afro''' is a hair style created by combing out natural growth of ], or specifically styled with chemical curling products by individuals with naturally ] or ] hair.<ref name=EBONY1>Garland, Phyl, , '']'', February 1973. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref><ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO">, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006, pp. 21–23. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> The hairstyle can be created by combing the hair away from the scalp, dispersing a distinctive curl pattern, and forming the hair into a rounded shape, much like a cloud or puff ball.<ref name=EBONY1/><ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO"/><ref name=JUNGLE>Mercer, Kobena, , Routledge, 1994, pp. 104–113. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref><ref name=HAIRDRESSING>, by Various, Global Media, 2007, section 2. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref><ref name=TIME1>, ], October 25, 1971. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref>
⚫ In people with naturally curly or straight hair, the hairstyle is typically created with the help of creams, gels or other solidifying liquids to hold the hair in place. Particularly popular in the ] community of the late 1960s,<ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=TIME1/> the hairstyle is often shaped and maintained with the assistance of a wide-toothed comb colloquially known as an '']''.<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/><ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=HAIRDRESSING/>

⚫ For people with wavy or straight hair, the hair style is created with the help of ] creams or gels and/or other solidifying liquids to temporarily hold the hair in place. Particularly popular in the African American community of the late 1960s and early 1970s,<ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=TIME1/> the hairstyle is often shaped and maintained with the assistance of a wide-toothed comb colloquially known as an ].<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO"/><ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=HAIRDRESSING/>


== Etymology == == Etymology ==
''Afro'' is derived from the term "]".<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/> The hairstyle is also referred to by some as the "natural"—particularly the shorter, less elaborate versions of the Afro—since in most cases the hair is left untreated by ]s or ] chemicals and is instead allowed to express its natural curl or kinkiness.<ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=TIME1/> "Afro" is derived from the term "]".<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO"/> The hairstyle is also referred to by some as a "natural hairstyle". In most cases the hair is left untreated by ]s or ] chemicals and is instead allowed to express its natural curl or kinkiness.<ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=TIME1/>


== History in the United States == == History in the United States ==
⚫ === African-American hairstyles prior to the 1960s ===
]'s '']'' sporting an Afro]]
⚫ ]
⚫ During the history of ], most African Americans styled their hair in an attempt to mimic the styles of the predominantly ] society in which they lived.<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO">, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006, pp. 21–23. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref><ref name=EBONY2>Moore Campbell, Bebe, , ''Ebony'', June 1982. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> ], characterized by its tight kinks, has been described as being kinky, coarse, cottony, nappy, or woolly.<ref name=EBONY2 /><ref name="AFRO-ENCYCLO">Boyce Davies, Carole, , ABC-CLIO, 2008, pp. 493-495. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> These characteristics represented the antithesis of the ] standard of beauty, and led to a negative view of kinky hair. As a result, the practice of ] gained popularity among African Americans.<ref name=EBONY2 />


⚫ The process of straightening the hair often involved applying caustic substances, such as ]s containing ], which needed to be applied by an experienced hairstylist so as to avoid burning the scalp and ears.<ref name="JUNGLE">Mercer, Kobena, , Routledge, 1994, pp. 104–113. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> Those who chose not to artificially treat their hair would often opt to style it into tight ]s or ].<ref name=EBONY2 /> With all of these hairstyling methods, one ran the risk of damaging the hair shaft, sometimes resulting in ].<ref name="AFRO-CARIB">Gittens, Sandra, , Cengage Learning EMEA, 2002, p. 256. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref>
===Circassian beauties===
In the 1860s, a hairstyle similar to the Afro was worn by the ]. Sometimes known as "Moss-haired girls", they were a group of women exhibited in ] attractions in the United States by ] and others. These women were claimed to be from the ] people in the ] region, and were marketed to ] audiences captivated by the "exotic East" as pure examples of the ] who were kept as sexual slaves in Turkish harems.<ref name = "lind">Linda Frost, ''Never one nation: freaks, savages, and whiteness in U.S. popular culture, 1850-1877'', University of Minnesota Press, 2005, p.68-88</ref><ref> </ref> It has been argued that this portrayal of a Caucasian woman as a rescued slave during the ] played on the racial connotations of slavery at the time so that the distinctive hairstyle affiliates the side-show white Circassian with African-American identity, and thus:<ref name="lind" />


⚫ === 1960s and 1970s ===
<blockquote>
⚫ ] (center, no glasses) enters Royce Hall at UCLA for her first philosophy lecture in October 1969.]]
resonates oddly yet resoundingly with the rest of her identifying significations: her racial purity, her sexual enslavement, her position as colonial subject; her beauty. The Circassian blended elements of white Victorian True Womanhood with traits of the enslaved black woman in one curiosity.
⚫ The effect of the ] brought a renewed sense of identity to the African–American community, which also resulted in a redefinition of personal style that included an appreciation of black beauty and aesthetics, as embodied by the "]" movement.<ref name="AFRO-ENCYCLO" /><ref name=FOX /> This cultural movement marked a return to more natural, untreated hairstyles. The afro became a powerful political symbol which reflected ] and a rejection of notions of assimilation and integration—not unlike the long and untreated hair sported by the mainly ] ]s.<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO" /><ref name=EBONY2 /><ref name="AFRO-ENCYCLO" />
</blockquote>


⚫ To some African Americans, the afro also represented a reconstitutive link to ] and ].<ref name=JUNGLE /> However, some critics have suggested that the afro hairstyle is not particularly African:<ref name=JUNGLE /><ref name=1960S>Rielly, Edward J., , Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003, p. 86. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> In his book ''Welcome to the Jungle: New Positions in Black Cultural Studies'', cultural critic Kobena Mercer argued that the contemporary African society of the mid-20th century did not consider either hairstyle to denote any particular "Africanness"; conversely, some Africans felt that these styles signified "]".<ref name=JUNGLE />
⚫ ===African American hairstyles prior to the 1960s===
⚫ ]
⚫ During the history of ], most African-Americans styled their hair in an attempt to mimic the styles of the predominantly ] society in which they lived.<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/><ref name=EBONY2> Last retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> ], characterized by its tight kinks, has been described as being kinky, coarse, cottony, nappy, or woolly.<ref name=EBONY2/><ref name=AFRO-ENCYCLO> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010.</ref> These characteristics represented the antithesis of the ] standard of beauty, and led to a negative view of kinky hair. As a result, the practice of ] gained popularity among African-Americans.<ref name=EBONY2/>


⚫ Similarly, Brackette F. Williams stated in her book ''Stains on My Name, War in My Veins: Guyana and the Politics of Cultural Struggle'' that African nationalists were irritated by the afro's adoption by African Americans as a symbol of their African heritage; they saw this trend as an example of ] arrogance.<ref name=GUYANA>Williams, Brackette F., , Duke University Press, 1991, p. 260. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref>
⚫ The process of straightening the hair often involved applying caustic substances, such as ]s containing ], which needed to be applied by an experienced hairstylist so as to avoid burning the scalp and ears.<ref name=JUNGLE/> In the late 1890s/early 1900s, ] also popularized the use of the ] in the United States.<ref name=EBONY2/><ref name=AFRO-ENCYCLO/> Those who chose not to artificially treat their hair would often opt to style it into tight ] or ].<ref name=EBONY2/> With all of these hairstyling methods, if done improperly, one ran the risk of damaging the hair shaft, sometimes resulting in ].<ref name=AFRO-CARIB> Last retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref>


] sporting afros in 1976]]
⚫ === 1960s and '70s ===
⚫ The afro was adopted by both men and women and was a hairstyle that was easier to maintain by oneself, without requiring frequent and sometimes costly visits to the hairstylist as was often experienced by people who chose to braid, straighten or relax their hair. Due to the kinky pattern prominent in ], as it grows longer it has a tendency to extend outward from the head, resulting in a ]like hairstyle which is easily molded and sculpted into the desired shape.<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO" /><ref name="AFRO-ENCYCLO" /> While the afro was a much less invasive and time-consuming hairstyle choice for many African Americans, some chose to achieve a more voluminous version of the afro by ] or teasing the hair, a practice that can result in damage to the hair and scalp.<ref name="EBONY1">Garland, Phyl, , '']'', February 1973. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref><ref name="TIME1"/>
⚫ ] (center, no glasses) enters Royce Hall at UCLA for her first philosophy lecture in October 1969.]]
⚫ The effect of the ] brought a renewed sense of identity to the African-American community, which also resulted in a redefinition of personal style that included an appreciation of black beauty and aesthetics, as embodied by the "]" movement.<ref name=AFRO-ENCYCLO/><ref name=FOX/> This cultural movement marked a return to more natural, untreated hairstyles. The Afro became a powerful political symbol which reflected ] and a rejection of notions of assimilation and integration—not unlike the long and untreated hair sported by the mainly ] ]s.<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/><ref name=EBONY2/><ref name=AFRO-ENCYCLO/>


⚫ In the mid-1960s, the afro hairstyle began in a fairly tightly coiffed form, such as the hairstyle that became popular among members of the ]. As the 1960s progressed towards the 1970s, popular hairstyles, both within and outside of the African-American community, became longer and longer.<ref name=EBONY1 /> As a result, the late 1960s/early 1970s saw an expansion in the overall size of afros.<ref name=EBONY1 /> Some of the entertainers and sociopolitical figures of the time known for wearing larger afros include political activist ], actress ], rock musician ], singer ], and the members of the musical groups ] and ].<ref name="HAIRDRESSING">, by Various, Global Media, 2007, section 2. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref><ref name=Jaggi>{{Cite news|last=Jaggi|first=Maya|title=The return of Mama Africa|work=]|date=April 29, 2000}}</ref>
⚫ To some African-Americans, the Afro also represented a reconstitutive link to ] and ].<ref name=JUNGLE/> However, some critics have suggested that the Afro hairstyle is not particularly African:<ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=1960S> Last retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> In his book ''Welcome to the Jungle: New Positions in Black Cultural Studies'', cultural critic Kobena Mercer argued that the contemporary African society of the mid-20th century did not consider either hairstyle to denote any particular "Africanness"; conversely, some Africans felt that these styles signified "]".<ref name=JUNGLE/>


⚫ In contrast, the afro's popularity among African Americans had already started to wane by the early 1970s;<ref name=EBONY1 /><ref name=TIME1 /> the introduction of the afro to the mainstream and its adoption by people of non-African descent caused the afro to lose its ], political edge.<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO" /> The 1970s saw an increase in the popularity of braided hairstyles such as ] among both sexes of African Americans.
⚫ Similarly, Brackette F. Williams stated in her book ''Stains on My Name, War in My Veins: Guyana and the Politics of Cultural Struggle'' that African nationalists were irritated by the Afro's adoption by African Americans as a symbol of their African heritage; they saw this trend as an example of ] arrogance.<ref name=GUYANA> Last retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref>


⚫ === 1990s and 2000s ===
⚫ The Afro was adopted by both men and women and was a hairstyle that was easier to maintain by oneself, without requiring frequent and sometimes costly visits to the hairstylist as was often experienced by people who chose to braid, straighten or relax their hair. Due to the kinky pattern prominent in ], as it grows longer it has a tendency to extend outward from the head, resulting in a ]like hairstyle which is easily molded and sculpted into the desired shape.<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/><ref name=AFRO-ENCYCLO/> While the Afro was a much less invasive and time-consuming hairstyle choice for many African-Americans, some chose to achieve a bushier version of the Afro by ] or teasing the hair, a practice that can result in damage to the hair and scalp.<ref name=EBONY1/><ref name=TIME1/>
⚫ ]
⚫ The afro saw some resurgence in both the 1990s and the 2000s.<ref name=HAIRDRESSING /><ref name=FOX>Irvine, Martha, , ], March 8, 2002. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> These afros would take varied forms, some incorporating elements such as braids, beads or twists, as well as various sizes, from close-cropped natural hairstyles all the way to expansive afro ]s.<ref name=FOX />


⚫ <!-- PLEASE DO NOT ADD MORE EXAMPLES - THIS IS A SHORT LIST AND IT IS NOT MEANT TO LIST EVERY CELEBRITY KNOWN TO HAVE HAD AN AFRO -->
⚫ In the mid-1960s, the Afro hairstyle began in a fairly tightly coiffed form, such as the hairstyle that became popular among members of the ]. As the 1960s progressed towards the 1970s, popular hairstyles, both within and outside of the African-American community, became longer and longer.<ref name=EBONY1/> As a result, the late 1960s/early 1970s saw an expansion in the overall size of Afros.<ref name=EBONY1/> Some of the entertainers and sociopolitical figures of the time known for wearing larger Afros include political activist ], actress ], rock musician ], and the members of the musical groups ] and ].<ref name=HAIRDRESSING/>
⚫ Some African Americans who have been known for wearing afros or afro wigs during these two decades include NBA basketball players ], ], and ], as well as musicians ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. ] also donned a large afro wig for her role as Foxxy Cleopatra in the 2002 film '']''.
⚫ ]
⚫ In contrast, the Afro's popularity among African-Americans had already started to wane by the early 1970s;<ref name=EBONY1/><ref name=TIME1/> the introduction of the Afro to the mainstream and its adoption by people of non-African descent caused the Afro to lose its ], political edge.<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/> The 1970s saw an increase in the popularity of braided hairstyles such as ] among both sexes of African-Americans.


On July 3, 2019, ] became the first U.S. state to prohibit discrimination over natural hair. Governor ] signed the ] into law, banning employers and schools from discriminating against hairstyles such as afros, braids, twists, and dreadlocks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jurist.org/news/2019/07/california-bans-racial-discrimination-based-on-hair-in-schools-and-workplaces/|title=California bans racial discrimination based on hair in schools and workplaces|access-date=2019-07-03|publisher=JURIST}}</ref> Likewise, later in 2019 Assembly Bill 07797 became law in New York state; it "prohibits race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/452959-new-york-bans-discrimination-against-natural-hair |title=New York bans discrimination against natural hair |work=]|date=2019-07-13 |access-date=2019-07-18}}</ref>
⚫ === 1990s and 2000s ===
⚫ The Afro saw some resurgence in both the 1990s and 2000s.<ref name=HAIRDRESSING/><ref name=FOX> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref> These Afros would take varied forms—some incorporating elements such as braids, beads or twists—as well as various sizes—from close-cropped natural hairstyles all the way to expansive Afro ].<ref name=FOX/>


Aevin Dugas from Gonzales, Louisiana, USA, set a new ] on 11 September 2022, for the largest female afro, which measures 165 cm (5.41 ft) in circumference, 25 cm (9.84 in) in height, and 26 cm (10.24 in) in width. She has broken the Guinness World Record for the largest afro three times, including in 2010 and 2021. Dugas says she began growing her afro in 1999 and learned how to style and cut it herself after an unsuccessful trip to a professional hairstylist. She states that she broke the record to personally advocate for the beauty of natural hair and to encourage self-love.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Largest afro on a living person (female) |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-afro-(female) |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=Guinness World Records |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Vargas |first=Ramon Antonio |date=2023-04-15 |title='It's about pride': Louisiana woman sets record for world's largest afro |language=en-GB |work=] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/15/largest-afro-guinness-world-record |access-date=2023-04-17 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
⚫ <!--PLEASE DO NOT ADD MORE EXAMPLES - THIS IS A SHORT LIST AND IT IS NOT MEANT TO LIST EVERY CELEBRITY KNOWN TO HAVE HAD AN AFRO -->
⚫ Some African-Americans who have been known for wearing Afros or Afro wigs during these two decades include NBA basketball players ], ], and ], as well as musicians ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. ] also donned a large Afro wig for her role as ] in the 2002 film '']''.


== Similar styles internationally == == Similar styles internationally ==
<!-- Other articles link here. -->
] ]
A ''Jewfro'' (] of the words ] and Afro) or ''Isro'' (portmanteau of the words ] and Afro) refers to a mop-like hairstyle worn by certain people usually of ] descent, who often have naturally curly hair. Similar hairdos worn by non-Jewish people are usually considered, with humor, to be Jewfros. Its name is inspired by the Afro hairstyle, which it resembles.<ref>{{cite journal|work=Moment Magazine |first=Svetlana |last=Shkolnikova |url=http://www.oldsite.momentmag.net/moment/issues/2011/02/jewish_word.html |title=The Jewfro Grows Up and Out |date=January–February 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413154832/http://www.oldsite.momentmag.net/moment/issues/2011/02/jewish_word.html |archivedate=April 13, 2014 }}</ref>
⚫ A "Jewfro" (] of the words ] and afro) or (rarely) "Isro" (portmanteau of the words ] and afro) refers to an afro when worn by Jews.<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=Moment Magazine |first=Svetlana |last=Shkolnikova |url=http://www.oldsite.momentmag.net/moment/issues/2011/02/jewish_word.html |title=The Jewfro Grows Up and Out |date=January–February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413154832/http://www.oldsite.momentmag.net/moment/issues/2011/02/jewish_word.html |archive-date=April 13, 2014}}</ref> The term has its roots in the 1960s and 1970s when many prominent figures were described as sporting the hairstyle. In 1970, the '']'' called college football star Scott Marcus a ] with "golden brown hair&nbsp;... in ringlets around his head in what he calls a Jewish afro style".<ref>Dan Hafner, "Louisville's 'Flower Child'; Barefooted Punter Arrives in Shoes and Mod Outfit", ''Los Angeles Times'', December 17, 1970. Sec III, p. G1.</ref> '']'' in a 1971 article on ]'s "hairy" ] team, wrote that Captain Brian Newmark "hasn't had a haircut since last May, and his friends have suggested his hairdo is a first cousin to the Afro, the style that is popular with blacks. In the case of the Jewish junior from ], though, the bushy dark hair, that is piled high on his head has been called an "Isro"."<ref>Murray Chass, "Harvard's Hairy Five Makes Some Foes Bristle", ''The New York Times'', February 28, 1971, p. S4.</ref> Novelist ] was described in a '']'' profile as the "grown-up Wunderkind with an open, oval face framed by a Jewish Afro."<ref>Stephen E. Rubin, "Tempo; Judith Rossner's novel success is hard to put down", ''Chicago Tribune'', September 17, 1977, p. 11.</ref>


The ] ] of ] were nicknamed "]" by ] during the ] due to their large and mop-like hairstyles, which they shaped by applying ] or ].<ref name="Raugh">{{Cite book|last=Raugh|first=Harold E.|title=The Victorians at War, 1815–1914: An Encyclopedia of British Military History|year=2004|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=1576079252|page=119|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HvE_Pa_ZlfsC&pg=PA119}}</ref> In Somalia, some young men of the nomadic and sedentary communities would grow their hair long and carefully comb it into rather large bushes, which they would then hold in place with ].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Uppsala universitet. African Studies Programme|title=Working Papers in African Studies|year=1987|issue=33–35|pages=21–22|publisher=African Studies Programme, Department of Cultural Anthropology, University of Uppsala |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W90MAQAAMAAJ|access-date=December 16, 2016}}</ref> This elaborate hairstyle was quite distinct from another coiffure found among other Somalis, who would instead grow long and fluff out their fine, straight hair and place a ] and comb in the center.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=N. H. Wilson, Guy A. Taylor|title=Nada: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual, Issues 25-30|date=1948|publisher=Southern Rhodesia. Dept. of Native Affairs|page=86|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_bcKAAAAIAAJ|access-date=December 16, 2016}}</ref>
The term has its roots in the 1960s and 1970s when many prominent figures were described as sporting the hairstyle. The '']'' called college football star ] a ] with "golden brown hair...in ringlets around his head in what he calls a Jewish Afro style".<ref>Dan Hafner, "''Louisville's 'Flower Child'; Barefooted Punter Arrives in Shoes and Mod Outfit''", Los Angeles Times, Dec 17, 1970. Sec III, pg. G1.</ref>


⚫ Variations of the afro have been worn by one or both sexes in the many disparate cultures of the ]. Due to the hairstyle's links to members of the ] and ] movements, the afro was seen by several outside cultures as a dangerous symbol of political unrest, including ] where the Afro was banned in the 1970s because it was seen as a symbol of ] and as part of a "]" from the ].<ref name=EBONY1 /><ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO" /><ref name=RILESAFRICA>Meisler, Stanley, , ''The Milwaukee Journal'', September 22, 1970. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref><ref name=BANNED>, ''The Milwaukee Journal'', August 27, 1971. Retrieved February 20, 2010.</ref> In the 1950s and 1960s, South African women were also known to wear their hair in an afro-type style.<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO" />
⚫ '']'' in a 1971 article on ]'s "hairy" ] team, wrote that Captain Brian Newmark, "hasn’t had a haircut since last May and his friends have suggested his hairdo is a first cousin to the Afro...in the case of the Jewish Junior from ], though, the bushy dark hair that is piled high on his head has been called an Isro."<ref>Murray Chass, "Harvard's Hairy Five Makes Some Foes Bristle", ''The New York Times'', February 28, 1971, pg. S4.</ref> Novelist ] was described in a '']'' profile as the "grown-up Wunderkind with an open, oval face framed by a Jewish Afro."<ref>Stephen E Rubin, "Tempo; Judith Rossner's novel success is hard to put down", ''Chicago Tribune'', September 17, 1977, pg. 11.</ref>


⚫ The afro did not rise to the same level of popularity among the ] community as it did in the United States, in part because of the popularity of ], which played an important role in the ] movement.<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO" /> Not unlike the afro's significance among the members of the American Black Power movement, dreadlocks symbolized ] and empowerment among the Rastafari of the Caribbean.<ref name=JUNGLE /><ref name="AFRO-CARIB" />
The ] ] of ] were called ] by ] ] during the ] of the late 19th century due to their often large and mop-like hairstyles, which they shaped by applying ] or ].<ref name="Raugh">{{cite book|last=Raugh|first=Harold E.|title=The Victorians at War, 1815-1914: An Encyclopedia of British Military History|year=2004|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=1576079252|page=119|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=HvE_Pa_ZlfsC&pg=PA119#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref>

⚫ Variations of the Afro have been worn by one or both sexes in the many disparate cultures of the ]. Due to the hairstyle's links to members of the African-American Civil Rights and ] movements, the Afro was seen by several outside cultures as a dangerous symbol of political unrest, including ] where the Afro was banned in the 1970s because it was seen as a symbol of ] and as part of an American cultural invasion.<ref name=EBONY1/><ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/><ref name=RILESAFRICA> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref><ref name=BANNED> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref> In the 1950s and 1960s, South African women were also known to wear their hair in an Afro-type style.<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/>

⚫ The Afro did not rise to the same level of popularity among the ] community as it did in the United States, in part because of the popularity of ], which played an important role in the ].<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/> Not unlike the Afro's significance among the members of the American Black Power movement, dreadlocks symbolized ] and empowerment amongst the ] of the Caribbean.<ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=AFRO-CARIB/> The hairstyle was also banned in ] during the 1960s.<ref> Last retrieved Feb 20, 2010</ref>


== Tools == == Tools ==
]
The long, wide teeth of the ''Afro pick'' or Afro comb were designed to dig down to the scalp allowing the hair roots to be stretched straight into a desired style or shape using a picking motion.<ref name=HAIR-ENCYCLO/><ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=HAIRDRESSING/> The long, wide teeth of the "afro pick" or afro comb were designed to dig down to the scalp, allowing the hair to be stretched out from the roots into a desired style or shape using a picking motion.<ref name="HAIR-ENCYCLO"/><ref name=JUNGLE/><ref name=HAIRDRESSING/>


== See also == == See also ==
⚫ * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
⚫ * ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ]


== References == == References ==
'''Notes'''
{{reflist|30em}} {{reflist|30em}}


== External links == == External links ==
* {{Commonscat-inline}} * {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Wiktionary-inline}} * {{Wiktionary-inline}}

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{{Human hair footer}} {{Human hair footer}}


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Latest revision as of 13:58, 10 December 2024

Hair style For other uses, see Afro (disambiguation).
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Musician Billy Preston with an afro

The afro is a hair style created by combing out natural growth of afro-textured hair, or specifically styled with chemical curling products by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair. The hairstyle can be created by combing the hair away from the scalp, dispersing a distinctive curl pattern, and forming the hair into a rounded shape, much like a cloud or puff ball.

For people with wavy or straight hair, the hair style is created with the help of permanent hair structure-changing creams or gels and/or other solidifying liquids to temporarily hold the hair in place. Particularly popular in the African American community of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the hairstyle is often shaped and maintained with the assistance of a wide-toothed comb colloquially known as an Afro pick.

Etymology

"Afro" is derived from the term "Afro American". The hairstyle is also referred to by some as a "natural hairstyle". In most cases the hair is left untreated by relaxers or straightening chemicals and is instead allowed to express its natural curl or kinkiness.

History in the United States

African-American hairstyles prior to the 1960s

Global hair texture distribution

During the history of slavery in the United States, most African Americans styled their hair in an attempt to mimic the styles of the predominantly white society in which they lived. Afro-textured hair, characterized by its tight kinks, has been described as being kinky, coarse, cottony, nappy, or woolly. These characteristics represented the antithesis of the European American standard of beauty, and led to a negative view of kinky hair. As a result, the practice of straightening gained popularity among African Americans.

The process of straightening the hair often involved applying caustic substances, such as relaxers containing lye, which needed to be applied by an experienced hairstylist so as to avoid burning the scalp and ears. Those who chose not to artificially treat their hair would often opt to style it into tight braids or cornrows. With all of these hairstyling methods, one ran the risk of damaging the hair shaft, sometimes resulting in hair loss.

1960s and 1970s

Angela Davis (center, no glasses) enters Royce Hall at UCLA for her first philosophy lecture in October 1969.

The effect of the Civil Rights Movement brought a renewed sense of identity to the African–American community, which also resulted in a redefinition of personal style that included an appreciation of black beauty and aesthetics, as embodied by the "Black is beautiful" movement. This cultural movement marked a return to more natural, untreated hairstyles. The afro became a powerful political symbol which reflected black pride and a rejection of notions of assimilation and integration—not unlike the long and untreated hair sported by the mainly White hippies.

To some African Americans, the afro also represented a reconstitutive link to West Africa and Central Africa. However, some critics have suggested that the afro hairstyle is not particularly African: In his book Welcome to the Jungle: New Positions in Black Cultural Studies, cultural critic Kobena Mercer argued that the contemporary African society of the mid-20th century did not consider either hairstyle to denote any particular "Africanness"; conversely, some Africans felt that these styles signified "First-worldness".

Similarly, Brackette F. Williams stated in her book Stains on My Name, War in My Veins: Guyana and the Politics of Cultural Struggle that African nationalists were irritated by the afro's adoption by African Americans as a symbol of their African heritage; they saw this trend as an example of Western arrogance.

The Jackson Five sporting afros in 1976

The afro was adopted by both men and women and was a hairstyle that was easier to maintain by oneself, without requiring frequent and sometimes costly visits to the hairstylist as was often experienced by people who chose to braid, straighten or relax their hair. Due to the kinky pattern prominent in Afro-textured hair, as it grows longer it has a tendency to extend outward from the head, resulting in a domelike hairstyle which is easily molded and sculpted into the desired shape. While the afro was a much less invasive and time-consuming hairstyle choice for many African Americans, some chose to achieve a more voluminous version of the afro by backcombing or teasing the hair, a practice that can result in damage to the hair and scalp.

In the mid-1960s, the afro hairstyle began in a fairly tightly coiffed form, such as the hairstyle that became popular among members of the Black Panther Party. As the 1960s progressed towards the 1970s, popular hairstyles, both within and outside of the African-American community, became longer and longer. As a result, the late 1960s/early 1970s saw an expansion in the overall size of afros. Some of the entertainers and sociopolitical figures of the time known for wearing larger afros include political activist Angela Davis, actress Pam Grier, rock musician Jimi Hendrix, singer Miriam Makeba, and the members of the musical groups the Jackson 5 and the Supremes.

In contrast, the afro's popularity among African Americans had already started to wane by the early 1970s; the introduction of the afro to the mainstream and its adoption by people of non-African descent caused the afro to lose its radical, political edge. The 1970s saw an increase in the popularity of braided hairstyles such as cornrows among both sexes of African Americans.

1990s and 2000s

A young girl wearing a hairstyle of several sections of hair bound with elastics, a style called afro puffs

The afro saw some resurgence in both the 1990s and the 2000s. These afros would take varied forms, some incorporating elements such as braids, beads or twists, as well as various sizes, from close-cropped natural hairstyles all the way to expansive afro wigs.

Some African Americans who have been known for wearing afros or afro wigs during these two decades include NBA basketball players Ben Wallace, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Beasley, as well as musicians Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Macy Gray, Ludacris, Questlove, Cindy Blackman, Wiz Khalifa, and Lenny Kravitz. Beyoncé also donned a large afro wig for her role as Foxxy Cleopatra in the 2002 film Austin Powers in Goldmember.

On July 3, 2019, California became the first U.S. state to prohibit discrimination over natural hair. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the CROWN Act into law, banning employers and schools from discriminating against hairstyles such as afros, braids, twists, and dreadlocks. Likewise, later in 2019 Assembly Bill 07797 became law in New York state; it "prohibits race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles."

Aevin Dugas from Gonzales, Louisiana, USA, set a new Guinness World Record on 11 September 2022, for the largest female afro, which measures 165 cm (5.41 ft) in circumference, 25 cm (9.84 in) in height, and 26 cm (10.24 in) in width. She has broken the Guinness World Record for the largest afro three times, including in 2010 and 2021. Dugas says she began growing her afro in 1999 and learned how to style and cut it herself after an unsuccessful trip to a professional hairstylist. She states that she broke the record to personally advocate for the beauty of natural hair and to encourage self-love.

Similar styles internationally

A young man sporting a 'Jewfro'

A "Jewfro" (portmanteau of the words Jew and afro) or (rarely) "Isro" (portmanteau of the words Israel and afro) refers to an afro when worn by Jews. The term has its roots in the 1960s and 1970s when many prominent figures were described as sporting the hairstyle. In 1970, the Los Angeles Times called college football star Scott Marcus a flower child with "golden brown hair ... in ringlets around his head in what he calls a Jewish afro style". The New York Times in a 1971 article on Harvard University's "hairy" basketball team, wrote that Captain Brian Newmark "hasn't had a haircut since last May, and his friends have suggested his hairdo is a first cousin to the Afro, the style that is popular with blacks. In the case of the Jewish junior from Brooklyn, though, the bushy dark hair, that is piled high on his head has been called an "Isro"." Novelist Judith Rossner was described in a Chicago Tribune profile as the "grown-up Wunderkind with an open, oval face framed by a Jewish Afro."

The Hadendoa Beja of northeastern Africa were nicknamed "Fuzzy-Wuzzies" by British troops during the Mahdist War due to their large and mop-like hairstyles, which they shaped by applying butter or mutton fat. In Somalia, some young men of the nomadic and sedentary communities would grow their hair long and carefully comb it into rather large bushes, which they would then hold in place with ghee. This elaborate hairstyle was quite distinct from another coiffure found among other Somalis, who would instead grow long and fluff out their fine, straight hair and place a chewing stick and comb in the center.

Variations of the afro have been worn by one or both sexes in the many disparate cultures of the African continent. Due to the hairstyle's links to members of the civil rights and Black Power movements, the afro was seen by several outside cultures as a dangerous symbol of political unrest, including Tanzania where the Afro was banned in the 1970s because it was seen as a symbol of neocolonialism and as part of a "cultural invasion" from the United States. In the 1950s and 1960s, South African women were also known to wear their hair in an afro-type style.

The afro did not rise to the same level of popularity among the Afro-Caribbean community as it did in the United States, in part because of the popularity of dreadlocks, which played an important role in the Rastafari movement. Not unlike the afro's significance among the members of the American Black Power movement, dreadlocks symbolized black pride and empowerment among the Rastafari of the Caribbean.

Tools

Hair pick in use

The long, wide teeth of the "afro pick" or afro comb were designed to dig down to the scalp, allowing the hair to be stretched out from the roots into a desired style or shape using a picking motion.

See also

References

  1. ^ Garland, Phyl, "Is The Afro On Its Way Out?", Ebony, February 1973. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  2. ^ Sherrow, Victoria, Encyclopedia of hair: a cultural history, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006, pp. 21–23. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  3. ^ Mercer, Kobena, Welcome to the Jungle: New Positions in Black Cultural Studies, Routledge, 1994, pp. 104–113. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  4. ^ Hair Designing - A Complete Course, by Various, Global Media, 2007, section 2. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  5. ^ "Modern Living: Beyond the Afro", Time, October 25, 1971. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  6. ^ Moore Campbell, Bebe, "What happened to the Afro?", Ebony, June 1982. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  7. ^ Boyce Davies, Carole, Encyclopedia of the African diaspora: origins, experiences, and culture, Volume 1, ABC-CLIO, 2008, pp. 493-495. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  8. ^ Gittens, Sandra, African-Caribbean Hairdressing, Cengage Learning EMEA, 2002, p. 256. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  9. ^ Irvine, Martha, "The Afro Strikes Back", Associated Press, March 8, 2002. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  10. Rielly, Edward J., The 1960s, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003, p. 86. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  11. Williams, Brackette F., Stains on My Name, War in My Veins: Guyana and the Politics of Cultural Struggle, Duke University Press, 1991, p. 260. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  12. Jaggi, Maya (April 29, 2000). "The return of Mama Africa". The Guardian.
  13. "California bans racial discrimination based on hair in schools and workplaces". JURIST. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  14. "New York bans discrimination against natural hair". The Hill. 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
  15. "Largest afro on a living person (female)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  16. Vargas, Ramon Antonio (2023-04-15). "'It's about pride': Louisiana woman sets record for world's largest afro". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  17. Shkolnikova, Svetlana (January–February 2011). "The Jewfro Grows Up and Out". Moment Magazine. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014.
  18. Dan Hafner, "Louisville's 'Flower Child'; Barefooted Punter Arrives in Shoes and Mod Outfit", Los Angeles Times, December 17, 1970. Sec III, p. G1.
  19. Murray Chass, "Harvard's Hairy Five Makes Some Foes Bristle", The New York Times, February 28, 1971, p. S4.
  20. Stephen E. Rubin, "Tempo; Judith Rossner's novel success is hard to put down", Chicago Tribune, September 17, 1977, p. 11.
  21. Raugh, Harold E. (2004). The Victorians at War, 1815–1914: An Encyclopedia of British Military History. ABC-CLIO. p. 119. ISBN 1576079252.
  22. Uppsala universitet. African Studies Programme (1987). "Working Papers in African Studies" (33–35). African Studies Programme, Department of Cultural Anthropology, University of Uppsala: 21–22. Retrieved December 16, 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. N. H. Wilson, Guy A. Taylor (1948). Nada: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual, Issues 25-30. Southern Rhodesia. Dept. of Native Affairs. p. 86. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  24. Meisler, Stanley, "Afro Hairdo Riles Africa's Blacks", The Milwaukee Journal, September 22, 1970. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  25. "Afro Hairdo Banned by Nation in Africa", The Milwaukee Journal, August 27, 1971. Retrieved February 20, 2010.

External links

  • Media related to Afro at Wikimedia Commons
  • The dictionary definition of afro at Wiktionary
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