aicramphoto
Member

Showing my age: Cicely Tyson looked regal and royal in her cornrows and I felt OK wearing them to school and answering the seeming millions of questions my schoolmates asked me. Cicely looked like her features went with her hair, it looked real, like this was how we were supposed to be. I was a little disappointed to see later that she wears her hair (or weaves or wigs) straight. But that's the beauty of our hair: versatility.
My mother insisted that we did not get "perms" nor did we get our hair straightened often. I felt embarrassed and I thought I stood out. Then, Ebony/Jet/Essence magazines showcased natural hairstyles and I felt like it was alright.