Natural Black hair, and why it matters - Harvard Gazette
Briefly

During a recent research trip to Cuba, sociologist Nicole Dezrea Jenkins was stopped on the street by three teary-eyed local women. The women - just a few of the dozens around the world whom Jenkins will speak to as part of her Global Crowns Project - thanked her for sharing their stories and caring about their experiences. "There is something about having an exchange where there is an interpreter in between us but we can still connect," she said. "It's really powerful."
As a qualitative researcher, Jenkins, an assistant professor of sociology at Howard University, conducts interviews and focus groups to gather and analyze data on Black women's lives. This year, she is in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' Sociology Department - one of four visiting professors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) - pursuing research on the cultural significance of natural hair and working on her first book.
African American students of mine have talked about their hair, and a lot of experiences around their hair being something that is different from other young people's hair," said Mary Waters, John L. Loeb Professor of Sociology and interim department chair. "But it wasn't until I sat down with Nicole that I really understood - not only that this is an interpersonal issue and an identity issue, but also the far-reaching effects of African American women's hair and the fact that it's legal to discriminate against somebody based on their hair. I was blown away when she told me about that!"
Jenkins is traveling to different countries - including France, Brazil, and Cuba - to interview Black women about their experiences wearing natural hairstyles and textures. "The research I'm conducting right now is very intimate. Women are sharing experiences with their hair that's very personal, speaking to cultural identity, self-acceptance, and the ongoing issues surrounding hair discrimination."
Read at Harvard Gazette
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