OH MY! I did not know this bit of History about Relaxers...

[Cooyah]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Hair Relaxers: Hair Discovers Lye[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=-1]His name was Garrett Augustus Morgan and he was born the seventh of eleven children of former slaves. He is best known for his invention of the automatic traffic signal and gas mask. But it was around 1910 that he stumbled upon what would become his contribution to the hair care products industry and what would pave the way for several other entrepreneurs and manufacturers over the next hundred years.[/SIZE][/FONT]

While working in a sewing machine repair shop attempting to invent a new lubricating liquid for the machine needle, it is widely believed that Morgan wiped his hands on a wool cloth, returned the next day, found the woolly texture of the cloth had “smoothed out”, and set out to find how the liquid chemical had changed the texture as it had. He experimented on an Airedale dog, known for their curly textured hair, and the effect was successfully duplicated.

Morgan then tried his lubricating liquid invention on himself, called it a “hair refining cream”, and thus patented the first chemical hair straightener. He founded a personal grooming products company which included hair dying ointments, curved-tooth pressing combs, shampoo, hair pressing gloss, and the one that started it all: the “G.A. Morgan's Hair Refiner Cream” (advertised to “Positively Straighten Hair in 15 Minutes”).

 

[goldensensation]

Thanks for sharing, poohbear.

To my knowledge (I dont have any sources I can quote), :way: back in the day lye was even used by white people to set their hair onto rollers and such.

 

[PaperClip]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Hair Relaxers: Hair Discovers Lye[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=-1]His name was Garrett Augustus Morgan and he was born the seventh of eleven children of former slaves. He is best known for his invention of the automatic traffic signal and gas mask. But it was around 1910 that he stumbled upon what would become his contribution to the hair care products industry and what would pave the way for several other entrepreneurs and manufacturers over the next hundred years.[/SIZE][/FONT]

While working in a sewing machine repair shop attempting to invent a new lubricating liquid for the machine needle, it is widely believed that Morgan wiped his hands on a wool cloth, returned the next day, found the woolly texture of the cloth had “smoothed out”, and set out to find how the liquid chemical had changed the texture as it had. He experimented on an Airedale dog, known for their curly textured hair, and the effect was successfully duplicated.

Morgan then tried his lubricating liquid invention on himself, called it a “hair refining cream”, and thus patented the first chemical hair straightener. He founded a personal grooming products company which included hair dying ointments, curved-tooth pressing combs, shampoo, hair pressing gloss, and the one that started it all: the “G.A. Morgan's Hair Refiner Cream” (advertised to “Positively Straighten Hair in 15 Minutes”).

At least he uses his own products... his hair does look "conked out"!

This ought to be a sign for us in how we choose the products we use... if the manufacturers don't use their own products, then we probably shouldn't use them either!

 

[punchinella]

That's very interesting about Garrett Morgan but that was after slavery.

 

[so1913]

That's very interesting about Garrett Morgan but that was after slavery.

Yeah....I was just about to make the same post.

 

[Southernbella.]

That's it! I'm going back to no-lye...

 

[punchinella]

That's it! I'm going back to no-lye...

 

[punchinella]

Yeah....I was just about to make the same post.

OT I love your hair

 

[~*~ShopAholic~*~]

And I totally agree.

I agree. It's def. always been a styling choice for most people. I can see where others are coming from with the historical info but if we applied that to other stuff we wouldn't be able to own dogs, use horse whips, climb trees, etc., because those things were used to punish slaves. But that's just the way I look at it.

Not trying to get a debate going cause I truly LOVE natural hair, I wore mine natural for a hot minute, but I just wanted to share my 2 cents here.

 

[Cooyah]

That's very interesting about Garrett Morgan but that was after slavery.

i forgot slavery got stopped at different times. either way it was a just another form of punishment and shame used by slave owners. lye has always been used for soap and other caustic cleaning agents, i'm sure the slave masters used lye, fire, flogs, dirt, pigs intestions and other disgusting things to shame them. lye is no different.

 

[Southernbella.]

but if we applied that to other stuff we wouldn't be able to own dogs, use horse whips, climb trees, etc., because those things were used to punish slaves. But that's just the way I look at it.

Or smoke cigarettes and get tattoos.

 

[Mahalialee4]

Thanks Cooyah for posting that verification re: the inventor of lye relaxers for hair. I did not want hearsay....this has rationale and reason..good job. My beef was just accepting the "urban myths" because so much kerfluffle is out there about black women trying to be like white women andthis is interesting as well because so many white women relax their hair, including many Jewish, Spanish, Indian, Asian....as well as European etc. You would not believe how kinky some of these people's hair is but they hide it under relaxers. The only ones getting the flack are black women...OF COURSE!!!! Too bad we do not have more black scientists inventing for their own people instead of white people putting out products that hurt our scalps and damage delicate hair of so many of the sisters. But I guess that will come in due time. bonjour

 

[so1913]

I've mentioned this before, but I HIGHLY recommend to anyone interested in the history of black hair in America on various levels and aspects reading Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America

 

[Crackers Phinn]

big ups to Mahalialee4 for teaching me a new word.

I don't know how I'm going to work 'Kerfluffle' into a conversation, but it's going to happen!

 

[FeelinIt]

Stupid question: They dipped the entire head? Lye WILL blind you, esp. a high % solution.

What an awful, evil thing to do to another human being.

Not that this is related but I just came back from the holocaust museum here in Houston and it just sickens me how evil people can be.

It wouldn't surprise me if they dipped the whole head in there and blinded them.

 

[secretdiamond]

That's it! I'm going back to no-lye...

HAHAHAA!!!! HEHEHEE!

big ups to Mahalialee4 for teaching me a new word.

I don't know how I'm going to work 'Kerfluffle' into a conversation, but it's going to happen!

ETA: The info in this thread is very interesting.

 

[Tene]

Hair Relaxers: Hair Discovers Lye


His name was Garrett Augustus Morgan and he was born the seventh of eleven children of former slaves. He is best known for his invention of the automatic traffic signal and gas mask. But it was around 1910 that he stumbled upon what would become his contribution to the hair care products industry and what would pave the way for several other entrepreneurs and manufacturers over the next hundred years.












While working in a sewing machine repair shop attempting to invent a new lubricating liquid for the machine needle, it is widely believed that Morgan wiped his hands on a wool cloth, returned the next day, found the woolly texture of the cloth had “smoothed out”, and set out to find how the liquid chemical had changed the texture as it had. He experimented on an Airedale dog, known for their curly textured hair, and the effect was successfully duplicated.

Morgan then tried his lubricating liquid invention on himself, called it a “hair refining cream”, and thus patented the first chemical hair straightener. He founded a personal grooming products company which included hair dying ointments, curved-tooth pressing combs, shampoo, hair pressing gloss, and the one that started it all: the “G.A. Morgan's Hair Refiner Cream” (advertised to “Positively Straighten Hair in 15 Minutes”).

 

[pookeylou]

Get out of here!!! I need to research this further.

 

[pookeylou]

Ookkaayy... for the sake of balance... let's see... where to start.... hmmm....

1. I thank Poohbear for sharing some historical content about relaxers. We can't know where we're going until we know where we've been.

2. I don't think Poohbear shared this to rehash the natural vs. relaxed dialogue. This topic will always be around. The key is to engage in healthy discourse about it.

3. With regard to the slave owners' usage of the lye, it clearly was used as a form of pain and punishment, not for the sake of straightening the hair (which I'm sure was a violation for our precious ancestors), but for the pain caused by the rinse out and lack of neutralizing solution and helpful products to save the melted strands.

4. As with any item, the key is in its usage. There are many items on the planet that can be used for evil as well as good. Fire can be used for good or evil. So can water, dogs, trees, so on and so forth. In the case of the lye/chemical straighteners and the slaves, it CLEARLY was used for EVIL and not good.

5. And I should add that in my present state of mind (including 20-plus years of relaxers), I cannot say that relaxing is or ever has been good TO ME. But others have found it to be good for them, and that is, to quote Bobby Brown, the King of R & B certainly their "perogative".

Can I just say this was the most intelligent, clear, coherant comment on the subject...and not because I am natural either...but because it is right.

 

[glamazon386]

I've mentioned this before, but I HIGHLY recommend to anyone interested in the history of black hair in America on various levels and aspects reading Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America

Cosigning with so1913. I read it a few years ago. It was a very interesting read.

 

[Poohbear]

Hair Relaxers: Hair Discovers Lye

His name was Garrett Augustus Morgan and he was born the seventh of eleven children of former slaves. He is best known for his invention of the automatic traffic signal and gas mask. But it was around 1910 that he stumbled upon what would become his contribution to the hair care products industry and what would pave the way for several other entrepreneurs and manufacturers over the next hundred years.

While working in a sewing machine repair shop attempting to invent a new lubricating liquid for the machine needle, it is widely believed that Morgan wiped his hands on a wool cloth, returned the next day, found the woolly texture of the cloth had “smoothed out”, and set out to find how the liquid chemical had changed the texture as it had. He experimented on an Airedale dog, known for their curly textured hair, and the effect was successfully duplicated.

Morgan then tried his lubricating liquid invention on himself, called it a “hair refining cream”, and thus patented the first chemical hair straightener. He founded a personal grooming products company which included hair dying ointments, curved-tooth pressing combs, shampoo, hair pressing gloss, and the one that started it all: the “G.A. Morgan's Hair Refiner Cream” (advertised to “Positively Straighten Hair in 15 Minutes”).

Interesting...thank you Tene for sharing this info!

@ Mahalialee4, what I posted did not say that white slave owners invented relaxers...they just used this chemical solution to punish slaves... And I do not think it was just an "urban myth"...

So let me get this straight... is this what happened...

Morgan discovered that a lye solution straightened cotton and hair...

At the same time but separate instance, these white slave owners used this lye solution to punish slaves...

Seems like they were two separate events... and to really make sense of it all, I'm sure that NOT ALL slave owners used this lye solution as a punishment to slaves... just some.

 

[jaiku]

Personally, I don't know if the whole dipping slaves head in lye thing has any truth to it. Its funny how when natural hair has come back " in style" a lot of new anti relaxer info pops up. It just sounds like nappy propaganda to me. I have dealt with enough militant nappies to know their MO and this just sounds like one more instance of "proof" as to why relaxers are bad.

 

[Poohbear]

Personally, I don't know if the whole dipping slaves head in lye thing has any truth to it. Its funny how when natural hair has come back " in style" a lot of new anti relaxer info pops up. It just sounds like nappy propaganda to me. I have dealt with enough militant nappies to know their MO and this just sounds like one more instance of "proof" as to why relaxers are bad.

Yeah, that's why I posted this information to see what you all thought about its validity...not to put down women who relax... This information does support the 'militant nappy propaganda against relaxers' or whatever you want to call it. If this info is not true at all, then that's certainly messed up that they would make up such a thing.

Btw, natural hair has always been 'in style'... it's not coming back in style.

 

[*Frisky*]

Personally, I don't know if the whole dipping slaves head in lye thing has any truth to it. Its funny how when natural hair has come back " in style" a lot of new anti relaxer info pops up. It just sounds like nappy propaganda to me. I have dealt with enough militant nappies to know their MO and this just sounds like one more instance of "proof" as to why relaxers are bad.

I kinda see where you are coming from to a certain degree....I guess if the original poster didn't use the word "relaxer" in her title, it may have not been perceived that way.

 

[Supergirl]

Not so sure I'm believing this because Madame CJ Walker built an empire on the straightening method that uses a pressing comb. This was obviously after slavery, so if a quicker and more permanent method (relaxing) had been discovered before Madame CJ came along, her method would've seemed like a hammer compared to a drill.

And let's just say that it could be true that relaxers were discovered because slave masters punished slaves by dipping their heads in lye. That's a bad thing, but we've all heard of good coming out of a bad situation. And shoot, I love my lye! My lye has shea butter in it and a whole bunch of other yummy stuff.

 

[MizaniMami]

I kinda see where you are coming from to a certain degree....I guess if the original poster didn't use the word "relaxer" in her title, it may have not been perceived that way.

Or even maybe if she posted where she got the information or cited her sources. That's why I think the post has subliminal messages. If you were really sincere about educating folks you would have atleast hooked us up with a link.

But, diff. people get diff. views of everything, so whatever. I ain't trying to make no more arguments about this issue.

 

[Southernbella.]

I kinda see where you are coming from to a certain degree....I guess if the original poster didn't use the word "relaxer" in her title, it may have not been perceived that way.

Good point. After reading through the whole thread, it became clear that the subject really has nothing to do with relaxers.erplexed

If you were really sincere about educating folks you would have atleast hooked us up with a link.

Another good point. OP, do you have a link to the story? I googled the information and wasn't able to find anything.

 

[Poohbear]

Or even maybe if she posted where she got the information or cited her sources. That's why I think the post has subliminal messages. If you were really sincere about educating folks you would have atleast hooked us up with a link.

But, diff. people get diff. views of everything, so whatever. I ain't trying to make no more arguments about this issue.

Whatever MizaniMami!
I didn't even think to post the link where I got this info when I saw it, not because I wasn't being sincere... And I did mention the source after I was asked.... Is something wrong with that? Like I said, I DID NOT POST THIS TO PUT DOWN WOMEN WHO RELAX THEIR HAIR! I use to have relaxed hair myself. Plus, I didn't even say I was trying to educate anyone. I posted this to see what everyone here at LHCF thought about it. Please read other posts within the thread or even ask me for yourself before making assumptions about my intentions or character.

 

[Poohbear]

Good point. After reading through the whole thread, it became clear that the subject really has nothing to do with relaxers.erplexed



Another good point. OP, do you have a link to the story? I googled the information and wasn't able to find anything.

This subject does have something to do with the history of relaxers and how they came about...how does it not?

Btw, the info came from the link in Enchantmnt's signature. She's a member here at LHCF. I mentioned it in the first page of this thread.

ETA: For those who don't know me, if I intend to say something, I'll just flat out say it. I didn't say anything bad about women who relax...would you all have thought differently if this was posted by someone who had relaxed hair? I believe so.

I want to look into the validity of this info as well. That's why I shared it with you all. Don't judge me based on the fact that I'm natural and think about what was posted.

 

[MizaniMami]

Whatever MizaniMami!
I didn't even think to post the link where I got this info when I saw it, not because I wasn't being sincere... And I did mention the source after I was asked.... Is something wrong with that? Like I said, I DID NOT POST THIS TO PUT DOWN WOMEN WHO RELAX THEIR HAIR! I use to have relaxed hair myself. Plus, I didn't even say I was trying to educate anyone. I posted this to see what everyone here at LHCF thought about it. Please read other posts within the thread or even ask me for yourself before making assumptions about my intentions or character.

I see we do agree on some things (whatever feeling).

But I just thought I would kindly let you know that I did read your other posts-as a matter of fact all of them. And I still came to my conclusion.