by Alixandria Wright
After decades of respectability politics forcing black women, men, and children to assimilate into white American culture, the Natural Hair Movement emerged as a symbol of resistance and self-love. The movement began in the 1970s, with the popularization of the ‘afro’, worn by many activists, such as Angela Davis, during the Civil Rights Movement.
Despite its growing popularity, natural hair for black people was still stigmatized as lacking professionalism, as many corporate spaces would not allow black professionals to express themselves by wearing their natural hair. Many black professionals, across the nation, have been fired from their jobs for wearing dreadlocks or afro-like hairstyles and refusing to cut their hair off. The movement further highlighted the harmful effects of relaxers and other harsh chemicals that were used on black hair to ease assimilation. Revealing the harmful effects of these chemicals sparked a national response in the hair care industry, as different companies began introducing products that catered to the coarser hair textures unique to black people.
The Natural Hair Care Industry
Lisa Price, a beauty products entrepreneur, founded Carol’s Daughter in 1993, one of the first black-owned natural hair care products to have its own flagship store and sell products directly to customers through her website. Price was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1962, and began selling homemade hair care products at local flea markets in the late 1990s. She named the brand after the most special role in her life as the daughter of her mother, Carol. Carol’s Daughter products quickly gained popularity with recognition from the Oprah Winfrey Show and its HSN launch. With the brand’s Target launch, these products became easily accessible for black women and girls who did not have the knowledge or the resources necessary to properly care for their hair. Such education encouraged Black women and other women of color to wear their natural hair and avoid using harsh chemicals.
After years of success, Price sold the company to L’Oreal in 2016, launching into 30,000 retail stores nationwide and was even recognized in the Natural Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C. Today, the brand continues to compete with other natural hair care brands such as Shea Moisture, Mielle Organics, Cantu and more. Through her natural hair care brand, Price was a pioneer in the hair care industry and influenced several other brands to come out with their own product lines, including celebrities who are revered in the black community.
Resilience in entrepreneurship
Today, not only does Price continue to influence black and female business owners, but she has an influence on the business world as a whole. During the Obama Administration, Price was appointed to the National Women’s Business Council, allowing her to make policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues that face female business owners, such as herself. She influences L’Oreal USA by providing insight into Black culture as well as topics of diversity and inclusion, particularly in the beauty industry. Price has also used her influence to partner with other organizations aimed at promoting and improving Black Maternal Health nationwide. Price has been recognized through awards and documentaries that depict her journey and success as a pioneer in the natural hair industry. Price still lives in Brooklyn with her husband and children and continues to oversee product development for her brand under L’Oreal.
Alixandria Wright, at the time of this post, is a second-year law student at Penn State Dickinson Law. She is from Queens, New York, and is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park. Alixandria is the current Secretary of the Black Law Students Association. She is interested in mass incarceration and intends to pursue a career in civil rights and public policy.
Sources:
https://www.carolsdaughter.com/about-us.html https://www.carolsdaughter.com/about-us/about-the-brand/our-founder.html https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/natural-hair-industry-history-evolution https://daily.jstor.org/how-natural-black-hair-at-work-became-a-civil-rights-issue/
https://blogs.brown.edu/afri-0090-s01-2019-fall/2019/12/04/the-politics-of-the-natural-hair-mov ement/