Feeling Is Believing: Why Obama’s Hair Matters

May 30th, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Danielle Fuentes Morgan is a Ph.D. candidate in English literature at Cornell University. She is especially interested in 20th and 21st century African American literature, episodes of “The Twilight Zone,” and her dog, Moxie. She hails from Durham, North Carolina.

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Posted in african-american, beauty, black, hair, politics | 8 comments

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  • Avablee1

    Excellent article! Such insight into the picture and exchange between President Obama and Jacob. You continue to make me proud to be your “Aunt Ava”. :-)

  • Kim Olivia Obanor

    I love the picture you selected and the interesting way you described the significance of hair in the African-American community. The “ new limitlessness for children of color” is so monumental and such an excellent phrase to describe the blessing of children of color finally being able to believe in their dreams. I absolutely agree with you that this is one of the most important  gifts President Obama has given us. Congrats to a very gifted, very special writer!!!      Kim Olivia Obanor

  • Elton

    This is one of the most powerful photos of our era.

  • scalifornia

    Seems like that fact *can* be overemphasized as seen by proclamations that racism is over

  • Medusa

    I love this picture, for some reason I never saw it before this week.

    Anyway, I think this was a great article. I’d like to add on that it’s not just in the African American community where “Hair can be an immense source of black pride but also a source of shame
    and identity confusion. It has been historically parodied and ridiculed.
    It has been caricatured.” I live in West Africa now, and people here seem to have more hatred of natural hair than anywhere else I’ve ever seen. I have been mocked and ridiculed by family members, strangers, and “friends”… I’ve heard everything from “Why won’t you get a relaxer” to “don’t lock your hair” to “you’re making black people look bad!”

    Here, people are thrilled that America has a black president, regardless of his political stance on anything. Would they be as thrilled if he had an Afro? Or locs? Or if he was cornrowed? Would he even have been elected if that were the case? Would they be thrilled with a black female president with long locs down her back or if she rocked a twist-out everyday? I wonder.

  • http://www.one3snapshot.com/ One3snapshot

    This actually made me tear up a little.

  • ES

    “leader of the free world”  – I just love the phrase,  it’s awfully State’s centric and people don’t even notice it.  With that said, best wishies to Obama and  it’s a good things that more kids will belive they can be Presidents (and more the pity, for those who can’t, no matter how long they have been living there)

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