Don't Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri

Don't Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri

This is the book that gave us the inspiration to name "The Cornrow", as it opened our eyes to how hair is so much more than "just hair". It encapsulates our whole heritage!

Groundbreaking ........a scintillating, intellectual investigation into black women and the very serious business of our hair, as it pertains to race, gender, social codes, tradition, culture, cosmology, maths, politics, philosophy and history' Bernardine Evaristo.

From women's solidarity and friendship to forgotten African scholars and the dubious provenance of Kim Kardashian's braids, the scope of black hairstyling ranges from pop culture to cosmology, from prehistoric times to the (afro)futuristic. Uncovering sophisticated indigenous mathematical systems in black hairstyles, alongside styles that served as secret intelligence networks leading enslaved Africans to freedom, Don't Touch My Hair proves that far from being only hair, black hairstyling culture can be understood as an allegory for black oppression and, ultimately, liberation.

Why it's on The Cornrow?

We adore books here at The Cornrow HQ, for reading, for sharing and for shelfie styling! We have given a lot of thought into curating the edit of books on our site. They are diverse (of course!) but also wonderfully written, fun or extremely educational (if not all three!).