This is a topic that is well familiar to every westernized black person. It is not often spoken about but it is experienced by most if not all black sisters in particular.

I am not sure when it started, but I assume at least during slavery or in that historical period. My feelings are that the hair texture and length was compared slave to slave and perpetuated by some slave owners as a way of elevating one type against the other.

Refer to the Willie Lynch Speech on the Making of a Slave. http://www.thetalkingdrum.com/wil.html

In as much as this document's authenticity is questioned by some, there is a ring of truth to the results of such a psychology.

Skin tone and hair texture is still very much in the mind of most Afrocentric people.Some, to the extent of excluding any mixing and thriving for more authentic "blackness" , while others wanting more milk in the coffee to bring about more lightness of skin and a finer or curlier hair texture.

For some parents, their children cannot entertain the idea of cohabiting with a darker toned black man or woman, as this would predispose the children to such a terrible fate of having dark skin or "nappy" hair.

Who said hair was bad? What did it have to do or to be to be deemed bad? So is that why we straighten it out with the hottest combs or alter it with chemical straigteners, or cover it with wigs and suffocate it with weaves? Who told us our hair was bad?

The images on television of the image of beauty, long blond hair blowing in the wind may have helped to create the notion that if my hair doesn't blow like that, then it must be "bad".

Our baby dolls, tall, long legged, no butt barbies also were our babies so we needed to look like her.

These are messages , very powerful slogans imprinted in the mind of little black girls. We wanted "problem-free", beautiful hair.

Our mothers, aunts, sisters and grandmothers reinforced the good hair bad hair saga. Do you recall having your hair washed and combed? There was often no tenderness in this experience. They made you brutally aware that you have a "hair" problem. No tender pats to keep the hair in, just use a rake if you must, I thought!

Straightening,Perming and weaving is happening much earlier these days. This black hair thing is a big market in which the Asians and others seem to be the biggest benefactors.

If this is a Black issue, Let's find the solutions ourselves and benefit financially as well.

Chris Rock Commedian is releasing a movie on his research and findings into this good hair / bad hair matter. He is being criticised for airing this matter. I fully support his courage to bring this cultural issue a voice and maybe we can finally put this to bed. For our children and grandchildren and those yet unborn to not have to consider skin tone and hair texture as they contemplate marrige and long term relationships.

 http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2009/10/23/chris_rock_combs_through_history_of_black_hair/