Lesson # 2

History of
Braiding

Middle Passage 2.a

Cornrow Braiding Originates in Africa

Like many other “Africanisms” in the new world, knowledge of African hairstyles survived the Middle Passage. Heads were often shaved upon capture, ostensibly for sanitary reasons, but with the psychological impact of being stripped of one’s culture. Re-establishing traditional hair styles in the new world was thus an act of resistance; one that could be carried out covertly:

http://csdt.rpi.edu/african/cornrow_curves/culture/middle.passage.htm