Education and celebration will be mixed together to highlight local Black businesses and honor Black self-expression..
Residents can celebrate the cultural importance and evolution of black hair and style Friday night at the Hair & Fashion Expo at the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach (AACCLB).
As part of the 7th Annual General Meeting world afro day, AACCLB has been inviting the community to learn about the history and fashion trends of Black hairstyles throughout the month of September. This global day of celebration was created by Michelle de Leon in 2017 to celebrate the identity of Afro hair, also known as the “natural hairstyle” that emphasizes the coils and twists of black hair.
Since the 18th century, black hair has been subject to discriminatory laws that have restricted the ability of black people to express themselves in the workplace and in everyday life. The most significant development from the past was the passage of the Crown Act in California on July 3, 2019.
The law prohibits discrimination based on hairstyle or texture, including braids, Afros, twists, cornrows, and locs, and was added to the Fair Employment and Housing Act. California was the first state to pass the Crown Act, and 22 other states have since passed it.
“The importance of celebrating black hair and fashion is deeply rooted in expressing our identity and deeply connected to family, community, and African American history,” said Jaki Qualls, AACCLB Program Director. he said. “It should be celebrated and respected. It is important in the context of appreciating our historical culture, recognizing and expressing our beauty and sharing it with the world.”
Exhibits on display in the Expo Art Center’s gallery room include traditional African costumes, hairstyles on models from centuries, and multiple educational elements.
“Celebrating black hair and fashion is not about resisting or rejecting society’s beauty standards, but rather standing in your own power and accepting who you are.”
Jaki Quarles, AACCLB Program Director
Residents have traditionally adopted required hairstyles, such as headwraps, which grew out of New Orleans’ 1784 Tignon Act, which required black women to cover their hair with scarves to identify themselves as a “slave class.” You can learn about evolution. These women were not slaves at the time.
Creole women had previously styled their hair in elaborate styles, and in accordance with the law, covered it with intricate fabrics and jewelry. This style continues today and has evolved over the centuries.
“Celebrating black hair and fashion is not about resisting or rejecting society’s beauty standards, but rather standing in your own power and accepting who you are,” says Quarles. Told.
The Black Hair and Fashion Expo will highlight a variety of local businesses that provide services and products specific to Black fashion and hair care. Companies such as Guudseed Company, Village Treasures and A Touch of Cali will sell hair and makeup products as well as clothing.
Two local barbershops, Dre Cutz and Style In Beauty and Barber Salon, will be providing free haircuts to attendees. At the Bixby Knolls First Fridays event, which kicked off the exhibition, barbers gave more than a dozen free haircuts and groomings.
Residents will have the opportunity to talk with small business owners about their products, backgrounds, business journeys, and more.
“Black Hair and Fashion Expo” will be held on Friday, September 15th from 5:30pm to 9pm in the Expo Arts Center Gallery Room, 4321 Atlantic Avenue. The event is free and residents are asked to: RSVP on Eventbrite.
