Education
Episode 173: Textures: The Beauty of Black Hair with guest Dr. Tameka N. Ellington Black hair has been deemed by many as bad hair that needs to be permed to be accepted in society. For many, their self-esteem is wrapped up in their hair. The success in their career, relationship, in life is associated with how good their hair looks. And for many, black hair is bad hair and limits just how far you can go in life. The caring of black hair is a major economic industry with a rich history that very few understand. In Fall 2021, Dr. Tameka Ellington and her team will bring to life the history, culture, politics, and joy of Black hair in their upcoming exhibition, "TEXTURES: the history and art of Black hair." Hair has been a controversial issue in Black communities since the start of the Atlantic slave trade. Within that struggle, artists worldwide have found the strength to breathe pride and joy back into a community deprived of cultural love. In this episode, Dr. Ellington shares with us why this remains an important topic even today. Dr. Tameka N. Ellington is an Associate Professor at the Kent State University (KSU) Fashion School and Interim Assistant Dean for the College of the Arts. Her creative scholarship has been shown in national and international exhibitions and is often inspired by African culture and folklore. She publishes research around the social-psychological aspects of dress for African Americans, particularly hair. Tune in to this episode and listen as we discuss if black hair is really bad or should we choose to celebrate and find the beauty and joy in the differences and textures of black hair. Dr. Tameka - https://www.instagram.com/dr.tamekaellington/ Book - https://www.amazon.com/Textures-History-Art-Black-Hair/dp/3777435546 Exhibition - https://www.kent.edu/museum/event/textures-history-and-art-black-hair