In this âoutstanding volumeâ (Boston Herald) that âought to be at the top of everyoneâs must-read listâ (Essence), Black women and men evocatively explore what could make a smart woman ignore doctorâs orders; what could get a hardworking employee fired from her job; what could get a black woman in hot water with her white boyfriend? In a word: hair.
In a society where beauty standards can be difficult if not downright unobtainable for many Black women, the issue of hair is a major one. Now, in this evocative and fascinating collection of essays, poems, excerpts, and more, Tenderheaded speaks to the personal, political, and cultural meaning of Black hair.
From AâLeila Perry Bundles, the great-granddaughter of hair care pioneer Madam C.J. Walker celebrating her ancestorâs legacy, to an art historian exploring the moving ways in which Black hair has been used to express Yoruba spirituality, to renowned activist Angela Davis questioning how her message of revolution got reduced to a hairstyle, Tenderheaded is as rich and diverse as the children of the African diaspora.
With works from authors including Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, bell hooks, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and more, this âremarkable array of writings and imagesâ (Publishers Weekly) will stay with you long after you turn the final page.