Details
As early as the 1890s, processes were created, and used widely to straighten the natural kink of African American hair. There is an ongoing question of whether this method of hair care emerged for the sake of manageability, or if it was used to conform to the prejudices of the time. Either way, it is said that a vast majority of African American women still use some type of straightening process or chemical, even today.
During the sixties, along with the Civil Rights movement came political movements such as Black Power and Black Pride. The Afro hairstyle gained popularity as a fashion statement proclaiming that people of color were naturally beautiful and stood proud of their race and culture. The Afro was worn by popular entertainers such as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and James Brown, and this hairstyle gained even further popularity.
As the 1970s began, many celebrities and popular sports figures could be seen with an Afro, including people who hadn't necessarily been a part of any movement in the sixties. The Afro moved into mainstream culture and simply became a fashionable style, worn by many people of all different ethnicities.
The Afro has not come and gone unnoticed. This style is again gaining popularity, as seen in the music and Hollywood scenes. This unique hairstyle became widely accepted, and appears more frequently as a mark of confidence, style, and natural beauty.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1269489/history_of_the_afro_hairstyle.html
