From a 0.48 cent comb to other regular priced Black hair products are locked behind glass at the Walmart in Perris, Ca, while the hair and beauty products for other races are not. Essie Grundy who has been a law abiding citizen all her life and never truly experienced racism, found this unacceptable. So much so that she filed a discrimination lawsuit against the retail giant. 

Essie Grundy, her Lawyer Gloria Alred, and Miss Grundy’s daughter

From a 0.48 cent comb to other regular priced Black hair products are locked behind glass at the Walmart in Perris, Ca, while the hair and beauty products for other races are not. Essie Grundy who has been a law abiding citizen all her life and never truly experienced racism, found this unacceptable. So much so that she filed a discrimination lawsuit against the retail giant.

Miss Grundy was not allowed to touch the products she wanted nor read the labels until an employee took them out, walked with the products to the register and waited until she had paid for them. Needless to say that the mother of five felt humiliated and singled out as an African American with different textured hair. She felt like people were staring her as if she was a thief.

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When a complain to the store manager fell on deaf ears as did the request to have the policy for so called high prized items changed, she decided to file a lawsuit. A video shows even higher prized items for Caucasian hair free for grabs right on the next isle. So not only does Miss Grundy wants an apology, her lawyer also aims to have a court injunction to halt Walmart’s practice of locking up products.

There are many things wrong from the way we are being profiled in stores around the globe to the way Black hair care products are being distributed and handled but I am not sure if locking up these items is racial discrimination. Walmart and many other stores don’t just lock up products, they lock up high theft items. From razors to baby formula, even coffee was mentioned in a facebook comment, are locked up for loss prevention. I am not a lawyer but as a small business owner, I am not sure that argument will hold up. 

The fact though that she could not hold the products in her hand until she paid for them can very well make a difference. Often enough, I did get a razor that was locked up but I was certainly able to hold it in my hand, examine it and give it back or go to the counter and pay for it. Not allowing a customer to take a closer look at baby formula, diapers, I believe at one time it was laundry detergent, is humiliating. It would surprise me if it were part of the policy. What wouldn’t surprise me is that this practice was reserved only for people buying Black Hair Care products. So we just have to wait and see.

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I can garentee you, you won’t have to stand in line, you won’t be racially profiled and the products will be from people with hair like you and me. Feel free to recommend the products you like to see at WhatNaturalsLove.com as I intend it to be the biggest marketplace for Black hair products worldwide. Stay tuned!