Quiz ShowQuestion and Answer

Samples and Techniques

Good HairBad Hair

Kim GillespieJean Vortkamp

TRUE OR FALSE In the 1700’s, Africans did not style or comb their hair.

FALSEAfrican hairstyles reflected the customs of their tribe and family traditions. Friends, or enemies,

could find the members of a tribe by the way they wore their hair. Warriors wore tiny braids,

non-warriors shaved their heads, and many tribes dyed their hair with red earth and grease. Many would plait the hair thinly and let it grow long. Hair that was worn with bone needles, leaves, and headscarves was considered the

most beautiful hair. African hair was good hair.

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?One of the first things done to captured slaves was cut off their hair

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

How long was the trip from Africa to the United States?

None of the above

1 to 2 weeks

3 to 5 weeks

11 to 15 weeks

6 to 10 weeks

The women they took as slaves were not allowed to bring anything with them. No clothes, no comb, and no hair grease. Their heads were shaved in an attempt to destroy an important symbol of their culture and heritage.

Where did the term dreadlocks come from?

Because slaves were unable to comb or brush their hair, the hair began to grow out into what looked like ropes. It is rumored that some white people

thought the rope-like locks looked “ugly and dreadful” so they called

the hairstyle dreadlocks. Many people no longer use that term and refer to the style as simply locks.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Since slaves could not bring their combs and herbal treatments. What did they use to take care of their hair?

Head wraps

Kerosene

Butter

Bacon grease

All of the above

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?Indians also took African-Americans as slaves

Sometimes people who ran away from slave owners were taken in kindly by Indian tribes. Others who ran away were then taken as slaves by the Indians. Some women who have Indian relatives have straight hair. Is it good hair?

After the Emancipation Proclamation, were all freed slaves welcomed into society by whites and blacks?

NoAfter slavery, you had to have so-called good hair to enter into

certain schools, churches, and businesses. Whites & Black people with straighter hair & lighter skin would hang a comb outside a building and if you ran the comb through your hair

and it made a snap noise or you couldn’t get the comb through your hair, you were not allowed in the building. They

also used the paper bag test which consisted of placing a brown paper bag next to your skin and if your skin was darker

than the paper bag, you were not allowed in the building.

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?Madame C.J. Walker became the first woman millionaire in America before any white woman did

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Which of these inventions did Madame C.J. Walker invent

Hair oil

Steel comb

Hair grower

Vegetable Shampoo

All of the above

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Madame C.J. Walker said she created the pressing comb for what reason.

All of the above

So more black people could get into schools & businesses

So black people could wear more hairstyles

To allow black people to look more like white people

To help stop hair breakage

After Madame Walker started her company, African-American women finally had hair care products and utensils to style their hair. Some African-Americans stated that Madame Walker was promoting the white image of “straighter hair is better hair” but she claimed she was only trying to stop hair breakage from the improper methods used to style and treat the hair during slavery until the 1920’s.

True of False: White men said that black women should not try to look like white women.

FalseWhite men told black women that they were ugly and encouraged them to look like white women. As black women tried harder and

harder to look like white women, white men became rich from black women insecurities.

White men sold bleaching creams and various products to black people.

Yes or No: Did black men try to make their hair more like white men’s hair?

YesIn the 1940’s men used a chemical called lye to

straighten their hair. The conk was a hairstyles popular among African-American men from the 1920’s to the 1960’s. This

hairstyle called for a man with naturally kinky hair to have it chemically straightened, so that

the newly straightened hair could be styled

In the 1940’s and 1950’s, black women wore their hair like mainstream America (White women). Styles that wore popular during this period were rolls, pin curls, and flips

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s, which natural hairstyle was the most popular style worn by African-Americans

All of the above

Up-dos

Press and Curl

Braids

Afro

During the civil rights movement “black pride” began to take place as black people began to fight for their rights and embrace their heritage. Lots of black women wore afros and braids.

Yes or No: When a white actress appeared in a movie wearing cornrows, was black people okay with this?

NoIn 1979, white actress Bo Derek appeared

in a movie wearing cornrows, proving that anyone can wear that hairstyle. Black people found this insulting and

the black is beautiful movement ended with the 1970’s.

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?No lye chemical hair relaxers may cause permanent hair loss

In the 1980’s women & men started to put all kinds of things in their hair including no lye hair relaxers. No lye hair relaxers can significantly weaken the hair leading to brittleness, breakage, and widespread permanent hair loss.

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?The jheri curl was named after a black man named Jheri Redding

The Jheri curl was popularized by a white man named Jheri Redding. The Jheri curl gave the wearer a glossy, loosely curled look compared to the natural tightly curl pattern of African texture hair. The harsh mix of chemicals required for the process caused the natural hair to become extremely brittle and dry, leading to breakage and damage to the hair follicle.

Now women have lots of choices for their hair. They can put a weave in, wear it natural, or wear it short.

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?African-American women spend billions of dollars per year on their hair compared to white women who spend millions.

True or False: Most African-American hair product companies are owned by black people.

FalseMost of the black owned companies sold their businesses to white

companies such as L’Oreal, Proctor & Gamble, and Alberto-Culver which are the top 3 sellers of black hair care products. Soft Sheen Carson, maker of products such as Dark & Lovely, Let’s Jam, and Optimum is now owned by L’Oreal. However,

Dudley Products, Luster Products, and Bronner Brothers are still black owned. L’Oreal, Proctor & Gamble, and Alberto-Culver

have changed some of the previous formulas of black hair care products. Are the new formulas and products safe for black

women to use or are they causing further breakage? Are white people still becoming wealthy from black people insecurities?

True or False: Most hair care products have chemicals in them which are toxic and can cause or worsen cancer.

TRUE Lots of hair care products contain: Isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol,

Polyethylene glycol, Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) & Sodium laureth sulphate, DEA

(diethanolamine), MEA (momoethanolamine) TEA (triethanolamine), FD & C Colour pigments, Fragrance, Formaldehyde,

Imidazolidinyl urea & DMDM Hydantoin, and Parabens (Propyl, Methyl, Butyl, or Ethyl).

Yes or No: Does slavery still exist?

YesOne of the biggest problems related to slavery in the US is a lack of knowledge about slavery. Many call it the hidden

slavery since the enslaved, who are often slaves from other countries, look and act like most other people. It is important to know the figures, signs and symptoms

related to slavery so you can help to stop it.

You can cut off the relaxed hair and wear a teeny weeny afro until your hair begins to grows out.

You can wear braids or locks. You can wear your hair in twists. Either twist on a comb

or take two stands of hair and twist them around each other.

You can wear a crinkle set or twist out by braiding or twisting your hair using a little bit of setting lotion. After a certain amount of time you can remove the braids or twist and wear the twist out look.

You can wear flat twist which are basically the same as cornrows but instead of using three strands of hair, you use only two.

How to transition from chemically treated hair to a natural hairstyle