-New Urban COMMUNITY- More Than a Beauty Bar: An Inside Look at How The Black Hair Salon Tradition Brings Women Together in Love, Laughter, and Sisterly Support
 |
| Hair salon culture depicted in art: "RINSE CYCLE" by KEVIN "WAK" WILLIAMS (25.4 cm x 40.3cm poster), €20 via Amazon |
As the weather becomes warmer and we finally have a chance to enjoy a bit of sun, now is the time when we can finally remove our heavy winter hats and give our hair chance to take in the fresh air and light. If you're like many black women who have expatriated to Germany and other EU countries, whether you're natural, pressed, or processed, the seasonal change in weather conditions often demands a bit of extra attention for your hair, and now more than ever is when we might look back in time and miss the ease and availability of salons specializing in the care and styling of black hair of all lengths & textures. As many black women of the Americas and beyond can attest, the black salon experience is actually more than just a series of beauty rituals, it is a deeply ingrained part of heritage, tradition, and culture, going all the way back to when Madam CJ Walker became America's first female millionaire by modernizing and revolutionizing black hair care during the late 19th-early 20th century .
The black hair salon has always represented more than just a place to perfect grooming rituals for ladies of African descent, however; particularly in the Carribean and the Americas, beauty salons (and male barber shops) stand perhaps second only to the church as pillars of the black and Latino community. More than just a place to be serviced, for women of color the beauty salon is part social club, part marketplace, and part therapist's office. It is the place where youngins' are mentored, small children learn socialization skills, where community & charitable endeavors are supported, and where women gather to laugh and fellowship.
Recently as part of its "American Women" series, the US Editon of VOGUE Magazine featured black hair salon culture in a 5-minute beauty documentary entitled, "The Hair Queens of Chicago", going inside the world of African American beauty salons with Midge Welch, the owner of Issues Barber and Beauty. No ordinary beauty & barber shop, Welch and staff show that not only is their lively business environment one of the best parties in town- but a community gathering place where love and togetherness are shaped and molded with the same level of care and commitment as every head of hair seated in the chairs of the salon. For a trip down memory lane that may call to mind some of your own favorite salon recollections, check out the video below:
