Thinking about Soul Train reminded me of the Afro Sheen commercials that use to air during the show. Everybody in the 70's regardless to whether you had an afro or not. Come travel back to the 1970's with me and experience a time when both men and women wore high heel shoes, Dashikis and bell bottomed pants.Shaft wore one, and so did the Angela Davis, and as Black Pride took to the streets, African-Americans not only reclaimed an affection for African dress and accessories, but many stopped processing and relaxing their hair in an attempt to conform to white standards of beauty. But who had the biggest 'fro? Cleopatra Jones, Link from "The Mod Squad" or Bernie from "Room 222".
A true afro meant much more than letting the hair grow in a carefree style like the straight and uncut hippie look. An afro needed meticulous care including meticulous raking with a big hair pick, or "Afro rake" and treating with a big black jar of Afro Sheen. Afros could be cropped-close to the head or grown to such wide dimensions that it was hard to get through the door. Let us not forget about cornrowed natural hair, which was also a very popular style of the day. Whatever the size, having a perfectly symmetrical crown of glory was the ultimate.
8 comments:
I loved Angela Davis' afro. To me, it was the most beautiful thing.
I still have a photo of my mom with one, but I haven't scanned it yet. I see them around here in New York fairly often, so it hasn't gone away. But try to find Afro rakes, Afro hats, and other things, and I'm afraid you're SOL.
Hey X. Dell,
Angela Davis's afro was the bomb and the envy of all the young girls. I wore an afro for years before I finally gave way to the perm and later the Jheri Curl. Actually you can buy anything on the web and afro picks are no exception. Check out this website:
http://www.metalafropicks.com/
PJazzy,
The Afro Sheen Commercial?! Girl stop! You're killing me (LOL).
Okay, truth be known, since I haven't had any chemicals in my hair for several years now, I will still rock a 'fro when the mood strikes. But you know what? I've never liked the word afro. I've always called it a NATURAL (smile & wink).
Oh, when I was in junior high, the person who had the most enviable natural in my neck of the woods was a sister named Pat Clapp. It was thick and huge and there was never a hair out of place. Matter of fact, I wrote a post about the most enviable and the most jacked-up afros when I first started blogging. I may have to send you the link (LOL)
Hey Lori,
Send me that post did about the fros' (that is what I called them) just a different generation is all (smile). Believe me there were some messed up fros, but some real nice ones as well. This one girl who was a couple of years ahead of me on school had the bomb fro. Her name was Angela Blackwell. Remember Roberta Flack's afro on the "Quiet Fire"? That what her hair looked liked.
As soon as I started reading this post, I thought of the blow out kit that we used to have. Sure enough, it was feat. in that Afro Sheen commercial you posted. This really took me back to the days of getting my scalp oiled, ma braiding my hair, and the Hot Pick. I hated it when she sometimes got too close to my scalp with that damned thing, but I sure did like the results.
By the way, I Googled "Roberta Flack Quiet Fire" so that I could see what she looked like on the cover. That was a badass 'fro!
Whoa Malcolm,
Oiling scalps? Now you taking me back. I haven't oil my scalped since 92 for real. Back in the day we were told that "greasin" your scalp would cause your hair to grow. Now I know first hand that is an old wives tale.
I never had a hot pick or Blow Out Kit. I used the hair sheen and the easy comb products from the line. Cookie told me that Bobby broke you all hot pick (lol). Roberta's hair was perfect.
Lol @ that site! I guess you're right. If I look hard enough, I could probably find those plastic things you stuck in the holes of singles so that you could play them on your turntable too.
any updates coming ?
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