Raise your hand if you are 100% black with long hair!

[DivinelyNappy]

*****WARNING: IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED OR DON"T TAKE THE TIME TO READ THROUGH ENTIRE POSTS, PLEASE STOP HERE. THE CONTENT CONTAINED HEREIN WILL PROBABLY BE FOUND OFFENSIVE TO YOU.*****

Ok, let me first start by saying that this thread is not intended to offend ANYONE! If you are mixed and have long hair, I am by no means discrediting your accomplishments with growing your hair. I just need some personal encouragement from those who are like me!

That being said, I want to know if there is anyone out there who is 100% African-Carribean American who has long hair (anything past shoulder) and DID NOT have it all of their life. I am a believer that hair growth is greatly in part due to genetics so if you had long hair as a child, your excluded. If any of your parents are 100% other or are mixed, meaning your Grandma was Caucasian/Indian/Asian/Puerto Rican or any other "an" besides African, you also are excluded. If you grew up being able to say "I got Indian in my family!", yep, your excluded too.

So who does that leave? The "Both my parents are 100% negro and I did not have long hair when I was little" group. I just need to know that you exist. If you fit the criteria (be honest wit ya self!), please reply and answer the questions below. I will reply to them in a new post (If you have any before/after pics, that would be great too!).

What is your current length?
How long has it been that length?
What is the longest length you had as a child?
as an adult?
What do you contribute to your length/retention?

It seems that every time I admire someones phenominal hair growth or health, I find out that they grandma/grandpa was white or Indian. I REFUSE to believe that 100% AA hair doesn't grow long! I need to know there is some hope for me!

Thank you in advance!

***********ALL RESPONSES CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 19 OF THIS THREAD*********************

 

[ChocolateSoda]

Is anyone really 100% black? erplexed

Unless you were born in Africa of Africans, there's a good chance there's all sorts of races mingling around in your lineage. And even then there's no guaruntee because there are white Africans.

 

[lisana]

You may get more responses if you categorized this by hair type instead. So maybe those who are 4a and/or 4b. I also think if you do a search you will find some threads about 4b's with long hair.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

delete, I misunderstood the OP.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

deleted...

 

[DivinelyNappy]

What is your current length? Shoulder I believe

How long has it been that length? About 6 months

What is the longest length you had as a child? Hmmm...Just around bottom cheek I would say
as an adult? 2 inches above bra strap in the back

What do you contribute to your length/retention? Keeping my hair moisturized/conditioned was mine! Before, I NEVER used to moisturize daily. Ever. It just didn't happen. And I only washed about once every 6 weeks.

Longest my hair got relaxed. This was after I learned about proper hair care (end of 2004 I believe). As you can see, it was still very thin with damaged ends.

Big chop in 2005.

Now.

Wish I had a childhood pic to show. I'll see if I can find and scan one....

 

[Traycee]

You may get more responses if you categorized this by hair type instead. So maybe those who are 4a and/or 4b. I also think if you do a search you will find some threads about 4b's with long hair.

I agree ....My Grandmother is white but I have 4b hair....so I don't believe that little bit of white helped a sister out!!

 

[lisana]

I agree ....My Grandmother is white but I have 4b hair....so I don't believe that little bit of white helped a sister out!!

HA! HA!

 

[DivinelyNappy]

Is anyone really 100% black? erplexed

Unless you were born in Africa of Africans, there's a good chance there's all sorts of races mingling around in your lineage. And even then there's no guaruntee because there are white Africans.

I agree with that-to a degree. I guess what I want are those who don't have a DIRECT line as far as mother/father and grandma/grandpa. I do realize that we, even as African Americans have a TON of races mingled but in my family they're not so obvious and I know I'm not the only one....

 

[ChanelNo5]

I agree ....My Grandmother is white but I have 4b hair....so I don't believe that little bit of white helped a sister out!!

And let the church say Amen! My grandmother is Japanese and that silky hair gene has not shown up in any of the grandkids. Me and my sister often joke that the average full blooded African-American woman has "better" hair than we do and we're "mixed" .

 

[Traycee]

And let the church say Amen! My grandmother is Japanese and that silky hair gene has not shown up in any of the grandkids. Me and my sister often joke that the average full blooded African-American woman has "better" hair than we do and we're "mixed" .

 

[DivinelyNappy]

I agree ....My Grandmother is white but I have 4b hair....so I don't believe that little bit of white helped a sister out!!

Thats funny. I just seem to find that MOST of my friends with long hair has a direct line of another race, either grandma or grandpa. Even my sister-in-law who has long beautiful straight hair that doesn't need to be relaxed...but their grandpa was white.

 

[sonce]

I'm 100% black. 100% African from Nigeria, to be exact. By black, I do not mean black by the generous American/One Drop Rule definition. I mean black.No admixture whether immediate or distant (and I know all of my ancestors back to six generations ago, with no reason to think that before then (pre-colonialism) any admixture could have occurred). Black enough?

What is your current length?

21 inches and MBL to WL, depending on which area you pull.

How long has it been that length?

For the past several months. I've been keeping it at this length with 1/2" cuts monthly.

What is the longest length you had as a child?

Apparently, I had quite thick natural hair as a child (don't remember). However, when my mother relaxed it, it all broke off and never exceeded neck length (5" at the longest, about 1/2" at the back due to severe, perpetual breagkage).

as an adult?

Until I went natural 4 years ago, I was relaxed and my hair never exceeded neck length.

What do you contribute to your length/retention?

Going natural, having a good regimen, not letting anyone fill my head with nonsense about what 'black hair' can or cannot do (and boy did people try).

It seems that every time I admire someones phenominal hair growth or health, I find out that they grandma/grandpa was white or Indian. I REFUSE to believe that 100% AA hair doesn't grow long! I need to know there is some hope for me!

Thank you in advance!

MESSAGE TO EVERYONE STRUGGLING WITH STEREOTYPES OF BLACK HAIR: You cannot know what your hair capable of until you have mastered a good regimen and given things time. If your regimen is fantastic and four years have gone by and you're still neck length, then ok--now we can talk about losing all hope. Until then, letting the idea that 100% African hair cannot grow bother you is ridiculous. Speculating about genes when you have not yet done your part is pointless. All my life, I was told that I simply had hair that did not grow and I believed it. But when I went natural, I decided to just let my hair grow and see what it could do. I didn't even set any goals. Just took good care of it for the first time in my life, and let it show me what it was capable of. Almost two feet later, it's still growing. Stop the madness, do your part, and just let your hair show you what it is capable of.

 

[Reinventing21]

Well, I do not fit in your category personally , BUT, I too want to know this. As a teacher in a poor area small bilingual/monolingual elementary school, I can honestly say that NONE of the AfrAM kids have long hair. In fact ALL of them have chewed up, broken--past broken really--damaged teenie weenie ponytails smaller than by baby finger. It is SO devastatingly heartbreaking esp cuz I'm looking at them among the super long ponytails of the 'other' kids. I would LOVE for them to know beyond the shadow of a doubt, that they too can have the ponytail of their dreams. Why? One: I love kids and I like see everyone living to their fullest potential. Two: Becuz although I don't fit in your category, I do fit in the sense that my hair is different from everyone else in my family, and I feel it necessary to prove that I can grow my hair to phenomenal lengths. I know EXACTLY how you feel so I too hope you get a lot of positive responses.

The only problem is that many are not 100% negro, but hopefully the 8o% and more will understand what you mean and post. I think you have raised an important point, and I personally would like every hair type reach her goal length. BTW, althouh I believe genetics has some to do with speed of hair growth, final length, and in some sense the ease of doing it, I still think that everyone on earth can reach at LEAST brastrap.

 

[Afrolinda]

Hi, funny thread. Well I am 100% black and african. I don't consider my hair long comparing to the ladies with long hair that I see here, but it's a bit longer than SL.

 

[Traycee]

Now one my best friend ( who is a lurker here).. is like you and as far as she can track she is full black with 4b/c and has always had mid back or waist length hair , her mother and her little sister too!!

 

[gone_fishing]

I'm so confused

If someone talks about how they are mixed with Indian or something you get a 200 page thread about how most folks aren't mixed, etc. etc. and those who say they are probably aren't, etc. etc.

But when someone says where are the 100% black ladies at....the whole first page is folks giving her a hard time?

I just want somebody to answer the question.

Thank you ladies on the second page for answer the questions.

 

[sonce]

Is anyone really 100% black? erplexed

Yes. Unless you're counting genes from thousands of years ago. Lineage is important in my family and there are those who know our ancestors as far back as 9 or 10 generations. No joke. They are all 100% African--in fact, they are all 100% Yoruba (meaning of my tribe, which is just one of Nigeria's hundreds of tribes). If anyone is fully black, I am and unless there was paternity fraud going on (and with who else would a Yoruba woman surrounded by Yoruba men cheat, anyway, if not a Yoruba man), I am 100% Yoruba.
]quote]And even then there's no guaruntee because there are white Africans.[/quote]
A recent development.

 

[secretrose]

I'm 100% black. 100% African from Nigeria, to be exact. By black, I do not mean black by the generous American/One Drop Rule definition. I mean black.No admixture whether immediate or distant (and I know all of my ancestors back to six generations ago, with no reason to think that before then (pre-colonialism) any admixture could have occurred). Black enough?

21 inches and MBL to WL, depending on which area you pull.
For the past several months. I've been keeping it at this length with 1/2" cuts monthly.
Apparently, I had quite thick natural hair as a child (don't remember). However, when my mother relaxed it, it all broke off and never exceeded neck length (5" at the longest, about 1/2" at the back due to severe, perpetual breagkage).
Until I went natural 4 years ago, I was relaxed and my hair never exceeded neck length.
Going natural, having a good regimen, not letting anyone fill my head with nonsense about what 'black hair' can or cannot do (and boy did people try).


MESSAGE TO EVERYONE STRUGGLING WITH STEREOTYPES OF BLACK HAIR: You cannot know what your hair capable of until you have mastered a good regimen and given things time. If your regimen is fantastic and four years have gone by and you're still neck length, then ok--now we can talk about losing all hope. Until then, letting the idea that 100% AA hair cannot grow bother you is ridiculous. Speculating about genes when you have not yet done your part is pointless.

what up my nigerian sista! I'm 100% too. But my hair is not long now The longest it's been is APL a few yrs ago

 

[DivinelyNappy]

I'm 100% black. 100% African from Nigeria, to be exact. No admixture whether immediate or distant (and I know all of my ancestors back to six generations ago, with no reason to think that pre-colonialism any admixture could have occurred). Black enough?


21 inches and MBL to WL, depending on which area you pull.

[/b]For the past several months. I've been keeping it at this length with 1/2" cuts monthly.

[/b]Apparently, I had quite thick natural hair as a child (don't remember). However, when my mother relaxed it, it all broke off and never exceeded neck length (5" at the longest, about 1/2" at the back due to severe, perpetual breagkage).

Until I went natural 4 years ago, I was relaxed and my hair never exceeded neck length.

[/b]Going natural, having a good regimen, not letting anyone fill my head with nonsense about what 'black hair' can or cannot do (and boy did people try).


You cannot know what your hair capable of until you have mastered a good regimen and given things time. If your regimen is fantastic and four years have gone by and you're still neck length, then ok--now we can talk about losing all hope. Until then, letting the idea that 100% AA hair cannot grow bother you is ridiculous. Speculating about genes when you have not yet done your part is pointless.

Thank you Sonce! I appreciate you sharing. Let me also say that I hope no one thinks that my question means their not "black enough" to relate. I had to be specific so people can understand that I am looking for people that are similar to me in heritage AND hair type. I'm about a 4a-b.

I have had a pretty good regimen for the past 4 years but I realize that during that time I've transitioned, big chopped, and learned to care for natural hair. My hair doesn't grow at an abnormal rate, so I'm learning to be patient. At the same time, I can always use some encouragement.

 

[sonce]

Let's do a checklist:

1) Is your regimen fantastic? (And I don't mean "is your hair soft" or "do you like the hairstyles you do"--I mean does your regimen protect the integrity of your hair? If you are seeing lots of broken pieces of hair every time you do your hair, the answer to this is no!)

2) How is your nutrition? (I fully confess that my nutrition is pretty terrible and I have been iron-deficient all my life with little adherence to the iron pills/diet I was put on. So, if my hair can grow, trust that those of you obeying doctors orders can grow some really nice hair).

3) How is your scalp? (Dandruff? Psoriasis? Ringworm? Dirt? Dryness? Unspecified irritation? All impede growth)

4) How long have you had your regimen and nutrition together? (Don't lose heart if you just got your act together last year or haven't even gotten it together yet) If you want BSL hair, take out a tape rule and measure the distance from your head to your bra strap. Then consider that your hair grows 1/2" a month on average even if you retain all your length. Has enough time passed? Seriously?

5) How was your hair when you got your regimen and nutrition together? (I cut off all the hair I had both while I was relaxing and a year and a half into my natural journey. None of the hair on my head has ever known abuse. Don't build your house on sand and then wonder why it won't stand.)

If you can say that you score 5/5 on this checklist and your hair has not grown to where it should be realistically, ok, then we can talk about genetics. The rest of us (including me--every week I learn something new here that I could have done better all this time!) have work to do!

 

[ChocolateSoda]

Yes. Unless you're counting genes from thousands of years ago. Lineage is important in my family and there are those who know our ancestors as far back as 9 or 10 generations. No joke. They are all 100% African--in fact, they are all 100% Yoruba (meaning of my tribe, which is just one of Nigeria's hundreds of tribes). If anyone is fully black, I am and unless there was paternity fraud going on (and with who else would a Yoruba woman surrounded by Yoruba men cheat, anyway, if not a Yoruba man), I am 100% Yoruba.
]quote]And even then there's no guaruntee because there are white Africans.

A recent development.[/quote]

That's awesome, but most Americans can't claim that. I wish I could go back that many generations.

There are Latinos on my mom's side and my father was adopted so that leaves me out.

 

[Lady Esquire]

Let's do a checklist:

1) Is your regimen fantastic? (And I don't mean "is your hair soft" or "do you like the hairstyles you do"--I mean does your regimen protect the integrity of your hair? If you are seeing lots of broken pieces of hair every time you do your hair, the answer to this is no!)

2) How is your nutrition? (I fully confess that my nutrition is pretty terrible and I have been iron-deficient all my life with little adherence to the iron pills/diet I was put on. So, if my hair can grow, trust that those of you obeying doctors orders can grow some really nice hair).

3) How is your scalp? (Dandruff? Psoriasis? Ringworm? Dirt? Dryness? Unspecified irritation? All impede growth)

4) How long have you had your regimen and nutrition together? (Don't lose heart if you just got your act together last year or haven't even gotten it together yet) If you want BSL hair, take out a tape rule and measure the distance from your head to your bra strap. Then consider that your hair grows 1/2" a month on average even if you retain all your length. Has enough time passed? Seriously?

5) How was your hair when you got your regimen and nutrition together? (I cut off all the hair I had both while I was relaxing and a year and a half into my natural journey. None of the hair on my head has ever known abuse. Don't build your house on sand and then wonder why it won't stand.)

If you can say that you score 5/5 on this checklist and your hair has not grown to where it should be realistically, ok. Now let's talk about genetics. The rest of us have work to do!

Very nice checklist! We sisters need to get off of the race issue seriously and just learn to love what God gave us. I too cut off all of my hair in late 2005 down to a teeny weeny afro, so the hair I have today has all been loved. And I have had the same exact genetics I had 2 plus years ago before cutting it all off, and back then I had splits, patches, dandruff, the works!

 

[ChocolateSoda]

Very nice checklist! We sisters need to get off of the race issue seriously and just learn to love what God gave us. I too cut off all of my hair in late 2005 down to a teeny weeny afro, so the hair I have today has all been loved. And I have had the same exact genetics I had 2 plus years ago before cutting it all off, and back then I had splits, patches, dandruff, the works!

Yeah 'cause folks get touchy about race. No one wants to feel left out 'cause they "got indian in them" LOL

 

[Valerie]

What is your current length?

My hair is collarbone length, but longer in the back.

How long has it been that length?

About the last six months to a year.

What is the longest length you had as a child?
as an adult?

When I was a child, nape length

What do you contribute to your length/retention?

Daily rinsing and massaging my hair, the past year Year 06 -07, I dis have a lot of breakage, because although I coloured my hair, using highlights, I never deep conditioned, and I did not daily rinse only every three days, then shampooed. I have found that for me daily rinsing, deep conditioning and massaging is the key for me to retain my length. I have 4b hair, my parents are Afro-Guyanese, my mother has 4a hair and my father had 4b and I always believed that my hair was slow growing, it was only when I noticed that when my father would shower his hair daily and he would have to cut it very quick. When I was under stress, my hair would break. After I started taking better care of my hair, I stopped blowing, I rarely press my hair, I do add highlights and after rinsing daily and deep conditioning. My hair has improved greatly and I am very pleased with the growth.

 

[DivinelyNappy]

I'm so confused

If someone talks about how they are mixed with Indian or something you get a 200 page thread about how most folks aren't mixed, etc. etc. and those who say they are probably aren't, etc. etc.

But when someone says where are the 100% black ladies at....the whole first page is folks giving her a hard time?

I just want somebody to answer the question.

Thank you ladies on the second page for answer the questions.

Aww, thanks Adequate.

I knew that there would be those who would not understand and take it personal, or be offended, etc., even though that was NOT my original intent. I thought I made that clear in my original post but there are always those few who skim through or even skip reading a post after seeing "100% African American hair" and go into the "OHH heck no no she didn't! Who does she think she is trying to find people who have hair and a background like her on a HAIR BOARD with all these different people on it who could actually be similar to her? I know with all these other threads, I could easily skip over this one and respond to one of those but uh uh, here I go!"

 

[sonce]

Very nice checklist! We sisters need to get off of the race issue seriously and just learn to love what God gave us. I too cut off all of my hair in late 2005 down to a teeny weeny afro, so the hair I have today has all been loved. And I have had the same exact genetics I had 2 plus years ago before cutting it all off, and back then I had splits, patches, dandruff, the works!

Thank you, LadyEsquire. You are exactly right. We need to love what God gave us and do our part. In my experience, black women as a group have the most dismal hair practices imaginable, and that is due to ignorance and a self-fulfilling 'black hair doesn't grow' prophecy. Many of us have never given ourselves a chance to prove ourselves wrong.

 

[charmtreese]

Raised hand!!!

My hair is not long by this boards standards however its the longest its every been.

What is your current length? Currently Im grazing APL
How long has it been that length? About a month or so
What is the longest length you had as a child? NL and periods of grazing SL
as an adult? This is the longest its every been
What do you contribute to your length/retention? Learning how to care for my hair, finding a regimen that works with my hair and not against it, finding products that actually keep my hair healthy and having patience

 

[gymfreak336]

Let's do a checklist:

1) Is your regimen fantastic? (And I don't mean "is your hair soft" or "do you like the hairstyles you do"--I mean does your regimen protect the integrity of your hair? If you are seeing lots of broken pieces of hair every time you do your hair, the answer to this is no!)

2) How is your nutrition? (I fully confess that my nutrition is pretty terrible and I have been iron-deficient all my life with little adherence to the iron pills/diet I was put on. So, if my hair can grow, trust that those of you obeying doctors orders can grow some really nice hair).

3) How is your scalp? (Dandruff? Psoriasis? Ringworm? Dirt? Dryness? Unspecified irritation? All impede growth)

4) How long have you had your regimen and nutrition together? (Don't lose heart if you just got your act together last year or haven't even gotten it together yet) If you want BSL hair, take out a tape rule and measure the distance from your head to your bra strap. Then consider that your hair grows 1/2" a month on average even if you retain all your length. Has enough time passed? Seriously?

5) How was your hair when you got your regimen and nutrition together? (I cut off all the hair I had both while I was relaxing and a year and a half into my natural journey. None of the hair on my head has ever known abuse. Don't build your house on sand and then wonder why it won't stand.)

If you can say that you score 5/5 on this checklist and your hair has not grown to where it should be realistically, ok, then we can talk about genetics. The rest of us (including me--every week I learn something new here that I could have done better all this time!) have work to do!

Can I put this in my siggy? Seriously

I couldn't agree more. When I first started, I was using the "good" stuff and still wasn't seeing the change I need to see. Well, at that time, I was eating fast food 90% of the time and I wasn't being honest with myself of my situation and how I ended up at that point. Once I started cutting it off, letting go of negative hair self talk and listening and absorbing with an open mind all the info here, life got 100% easier.

 

[sonce]

Can I put this in my siggy? Seriously

Absolutely! But give credit where credit is due!

I couldn't agree more. When I first started, I was using the "good" stuff and still wasn't seeing the change I need to see. Well, at that time, I was eating fast food 90% of the time and I wasn't being honest with myself of my situation and how I ended up at that point. Once I started cutting it off, letting go of negative hair self talk and listening and absorbing with an open mind all the info here, life got 100% easier.

I'm glad you turned things around.