To me, the Afro represents the power and beauty of Africans. It is our hair in its full glory; unrestrained and beautiful. The Afro, like royalty, commands attention; it is our royal crown.

 This was a really relaxed challenge for me because the Natural is so powerful in and of itself. I have just recently embraced the word “Afro” and have always referred to this style as a “Natural”. My parents used to wear a Natural and this terminology was just passed down to me. A Natural is the most natural style you can do and I think that is why it became very popular in the 60s and 70s when people of the African diaspora started being proud of their natural looks and flaunting their beauty.

Within the last 40 years this style has become an American classic and can be seen all around the world, in many colors and variations (blown out fro, shrunken fro, Afro Puffs, and the Afro Puff, etc). In the pictures for this challenge I am wearing the shrunken fro. Enjoy!

Tiana