"As said by Jasmine Cobb, “The ways of doing Black hair and its corollary significations have made and remade textured hair into a symbol and site of Black freedom in visual representation” (2022, 6). Acknowledging the significance of hair within the African diaspora, this ethnography examines Black resilience, kinship, and knowledge through its narration; specifically, this thesis addresses conversations associated with “natural” hair, its use in social movements, and its function in facilitating communities of care. Through participant-observation of hair events, conversations with undergraduates, autoethnography, and digital archives and media, this paper discusses hair’s role in memorializing the past and current experiences of Black women. Thus, this research seeks to empower Black women by recognizing the generational power they are inherently “crowned” with and by exploring hair’s role in identity formation and cultural representation."
