Don’t Touch My Hair: Examining the Natural Hair Movement Among Black Women

Authors

Mercy Langat, Asbury Theological Seminary

Abstract

The natural hair movement among Black women has shown that aesthetic practices and rituals related to hair often serve as embodied methods of resistance for many Black women. These practices also reflect a dimension of their spirituality that is often unrecognized. This paper historically examines political, cultural, and religious meanings of hair within the Black community. The Nazarite vow and the Imago Dei concepts are utilized to understand the biblical and spiritual significance of hair Engaging scripture and theology with daily concerns, such as hair, rituals. Engaging scripture and theology with daily concerns, such as hair, is an important part of the task of public theology, and this article hopes to encourage more attempts to think theologically about how Black women, as well as other Christians, choose to live out their spiritual lives even in rather ordinary events. Our identity is connected to many seemingly ordinary aspects of life, and there is a need to think theologically about everything that connects with our personal and communal identity.

DOI

10.7252/Journal.01.2022S.05

Recommended Citation

Langat, Mercy (2022) "Don’t Touch My Hair: Examining the Natural Hair Movement Among Black Women," Asbury Theological Seminary: Vol. 77: No. 1, p. 72-91.
Available at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/asburyjournal/vol77/iss1/5