A History of Greatness

 Today braids are a protective and creative style women use to show off their personal style, creativeness, or protect their hair and scalp. But centuries before, braids were much more than just a hairstyle.

  Many African women braided rice or seeds into their hair before journeying the Middle Passage, on their way to enslavement or braided it into their children’s hair before separation, so that they could eat. The braids were often used to relay messages between slaves, signal that they were going to escape, or even used to keep gold and seeds to help them survive after they would run away.

  Because women slaves were initially perceived as a lesser threat, they would hide symbols and items in their hair that would mean various things. Although they were raped and treated as sexual objects to the slave master, their crown carried messages of hope and freedom.

  Box braids in the ‘90s and even today aren’t that different from the Eembuvi braids of Namibia or the chin-length bob braids of the women of the Nile Valley over 3,000 years ago. Braids are a symbol of strength, wisdom, & reflects your identity.​