by
Black Girl With Long Hair
Although cornrows have ancient roots in black culture, they are still not commonly seen as a ‘finished’ look on black women. Taraji P. Henson certainly didn’t view them that way when she showed up for a CR Fashion Book shoot. Her plan was to wear a wig over her intricate protective cornrow style, but the photographer thought otherwise.
I wear wigs a lot, especially for photo shoots. I have this girl Kendra who braids my hair. She braids so intricately, so beautifully. So I’m trying on the clothes and the silk scarf I have on my head slips off, and I say, “Hey, look at my cornrows, aren’t they beautiful?” Bruce Weber is standing there and he goes, “We’ll shoot that.” And I go,“What? We’ll shoot what?” And he says, “We’ll shoot your hair just like that, it’s beautiful.” And part of me was like, No, no, no, NO! This is the hair no one is supposed to see. This is like behind-closed-doors hair. I feel naked. I feel like a plucked chicken…or a wet one. A baby chicken! But Bruce says to me, “It’s not about the hair, it’s your face.” So I just decided to trust the artist’s vision. As an actress that’s what we do. We are vulnerable every time we put our art out there. Underneath that hair is my soul, and it’s me, it’s mine.
The result is a set of gorgeous photos that resonate with the theme of Taraji’s interview — truth and transparency.
That’s how powerful art is. It can turn a hateful person into a loving person. It can turn a racist into a person who loves. Art uncovers the truth. My driving force is the truth. I want to breathe truth into every character no matter how ugly or pretty, whether I agree with them or not. Maybe God just put truth serum in my blood. I can’t lie. I have no mask. The truth will manifest on my face.
Love it! Check out the photos.
We have to hit this with a Yaas Queen!!!
Ladies, what are your thoughts?
27 Responses
All involved in this photo shoot are brilliant, from the gorgeous cornrows style by Kendra, to the photographer creating magnificent themes within the photo shoot, and Taraji rocking it all!! Everyone made this happen, and hopefully will start a long-lasting trend of rocking natural hair in all styles.
Interestingly enough, a lot of AA who identify themselves as black do not view Africans as black. Nor do a lot of Africans that I have spoken to identify themselves as black. It seems as though in the city where I am from and the university which I go to that incorporates people from around the globe, black seems to be a term descriptive of mainly AA.
I thought her braids were finger waves until I looked HARD enough. She ROCKED IT!! Nice photo shoot!
My dear, if in your corner of Mama Africa, cornrows are not a finished look, then I cannot argue with you. In my corner, they are…whether with western or traditional attire. Yes, we’ve all fallen victim to Western standards, not just in Africa but Asia. Go to India and see their bleaching problem. Mothers encourage their daughters to do so to get husbands but I digress.
I wear cornrows here in America as a finished look all the time, as well as my natural hair in a kinky fro…and many Black women in America wear cornrows too (regardless of origin). My peeve was that it’s not considered a ‘finished look’ to most Black women in America. See, it took a stranger (the photographer) to acknowledge the beauty in what some of us see as ‘unfinished’. Eye opening!
West Africa doesn’t represent the whole Africa.
Wow, that’s the BEST thing you said thus far.
Maybe cornrows are not seen as finished in AA culture so please state that and don’t lump all Black women as the same. African women since forever have worn, still wear and will continue to wear cornrows as finished hairstyles…whether with western or traditional attires. Only in America I learnt cornrows and Bantu knots (which are an AA term, btw) were not meant to be seen outside the house smh.
…but the writer is writing a piece on an AA woman who stars in a predominantly AA show shot in America and airs on American television. Clearly, AA culture is the focal point here. Like, do you guys just find any reason to be outraged? And let’s even take it to African culture sis. I can accuse you of generalizing as well. I am also from “Africa” and in my corner of Africa, cornrows is NOT a finished look. 99% of the women have also been brainwashed by Western standards of beauty and most women rock lopsided wigs and the natural hair movement is nonexistent. I have seen more naturals in America than in West Africa and most of my Nigerian, Ghanaian and Cameroonian friends will co-sign this assertion. How many Nigerian women in the work place are rocking bantu knots????? Girl, let’s keep it all the way real. Yes! Africa is the motherland and these hairstyles originated from Africa and were/are still celebrated in Africa but don’t sit here and act like Africa has not fallen victim to Western standards of beauty. From the rampant bleaching to the ill-fitted wigs, the situation might even be worse in Africa. Let’s keep it all the way real sis. Instead of pointing fingers, we should be helping and supporting each other.
You always speak the truth
I think it’s more because they were supposed to add her weave/wig on it. There have been numerous American celebs wearing thus style on the red carpert. It has nothing to do with no being an out style.
Preach! It’s the slavery and colonization that has resulted in this situation where people think black hairstyles are just trendy not classy or classic. It is up to us to free ourselves from this mentally. You still see black women making fun of other black women with natural hair. Smh.
Black women choose to make the change. When we change our own minds about our own hair and other non-white features, others will follow. It is “us” not “them.” Every negative comment I have received about my chances based on my African looks has come from alleged black women; the majority of the compliments about my natural looks…. not so much from my own folk. Guess what? Who needs it? Who cares? The nonsense about corporate jobs, conform or else, is just that, nonsense. Try some litigation ladies. The precedents have already been set by black women who had the cojones to go all in for themselves! We fold, easily and damn near immediately, so of course others get to tell us what is the what. Kill that white gaze from whomever’s eyes, that need for approval from damn near anyone and everyone, and you can win ANYTHING, or at least win back your self respect. That. is. all. How many more decades and examples of successful black women in every field wearing our own hair before you get it? All this talk is beginning to annoy me. I’ve had it with the endless whining on these posts about our hair. And that is why I plan to” UNSUBSCRIBE.” Call me when you grow up out of this hair nonsense so we can talk about something that may actually add some real quality to the lives of a people in serious need of well damn near everything!
Not only is Taraji beautiful but those guys she was with…
Could you correct “Although cornrows have ancient roots in black culture, they are still not commonly seen as a ‘finished’ look on black women,” to “although cornrows have ancient roots in black culture, they are still not commonly seen as a ‘finished’ look on African American women?” African women do wear cornrows, which we call weaving or the other version didi, like that a lot.
I hope this isn’t seen as an “us versus them” statement. It isn’t. I would hate for my comment to be taken as such, since I am tired of the divide. However, your first statement isn’t all together correct.
In fact, I am not sure if it’s all together correct, even with the African American women swap when we have the likes of Alicia Keys and her famous signature hairstyles.
Cornrows or weavings are magnificent art creation. So many different styles. I would hate for some people to get the assumption that we mostly hide them.
Which “Africa” is this that you people keep talking about tho??? I was born and raised in West Africa and have traveled extensively throughout the continent and I am yet to see corporate and professional and famous African women rocking bantu knots, afro puffs and cornrows in a professional setting. Most rural women wear cornrows not because they are so “in love” with natural hair but because of their low socio-economic status i.e lack of funds to maintain and manage relaxed hair. When the income level goes up, the hair becomes more straight. And all of you Africans on this blog, when you go back home to visit, how many of wealthy and well off aunties and their children are rocking natural hair? How many of you get dirty looks for having natural hair? BE HONEST WITH YOURSELVES. Imma need us Africans to stop pretending on these blogs and accept our realities. We too have also fallen prey to Western standards of beauty. We are NOT going to fix the problem by pretending that only AA women have insecurities about their natural hair. In fact, I think the situation is even worse in Africa because we lack access to information and support groups. Let’s face the reality people and stop the BS. Thanks!
Could you correct “Although cornrows have ancient roots in black culture, they are still not commonly seen as a ‘finished’ look on black women,” to “although cornrows have ancient roots in black culture, they are still not commonly seen as a ‘finished’ look on African American women?” Has African women do wear cornrows, which we call weaving or the other version didi, like that a lot.
I hope this isn’t seen as a us versus them statement. It isn’t. I would hate for my comment to be taken as such since I am tried of the divide. However, your first statement isn’t all together correct. In fact, I am not sure if it’s all together correct as African American women not thinking it as a finished looks when we have the likes of Alicia Keys and her famous signature hairstyles.
Cornrows or weaving are magnificent art creation. So many different styles. I would have for some people to get the assumption that we mostly hide them.
The cornrows are beautiful! No wig needed! GO Taraji!
Yo in that last picture she’s giving me Diana Ross tease honey….yassssss
Gorgeous photo shoot! I love Taraji!
I LOVE TARAJI AND I THINK SHE ALWAYS LOOKS GREAT. HER HAIR LOOKS REALLY BEAUTIFUL.
She rocked it!
the last but one picture though!
Taraji always looks fierce. Love her!
While I don’t watch “Empire”, I’m so happy for her success.
Why oh why have we not fallen in love with our natural hair as a people at this point? The photos are stunning and her hair braider did a great job.
How beautiful!
Her cainrows are gorgeous. How could she think otherwise?
I love it.