Curly Hair

Scholarly perspectives on the mixed race experience.

In conclusion, then, mulattoes may be viewed as the apotheosis, or as the nadir, of Afro-American strength—as the hope or despair of the future. In this regard, these recent studies often differ profoundly. However, they do demonstrate significant points of agreement regarding the historical roots and role of Americans of mixed black-white ancestry—regarding their growing predominance within Afro-America itself, and regarding the very early origins of their distinctiveness. Under certain historical circumstances, their distinctiveness from black Americans was viewed and treated as an asset; under different circumstances it became a liability, particularly when and where white supremacy was threatened. During the Jim Crow era the one-drop ideology was used as a weapon to put them back in place—to prevent the growth of this “mongrelized race” which was neither white nor black. But ironically, it was this oppression which drove mulattoes to identify themselves with black Americans, thereby strengthening Afro-American solidarity and self-assertion…

Patricia Morton, “From Invisible Man to ‘New People’: The Recent Discovery of American Mulattoes,” Phylon (1960-), Volume 46, Number 2 (1985): 106-122.

Curly Hair

Curly Hair

Mixed Humans ~ Reflections on occupying a space of inbetweenness. Persistently grappling with identity.
2015-01-26

Brian Kamanzi
Cape Town, South Africa

My Curly hair.

This hair I have on my head has always been something I’ve had to be conscious about.

Growing up my soft curls where a marker of my “difference”.

Mum had poker straight black hair. That turned the colours of salt and pepper. As we both grow older.

Dad had his hair very short. His was very curly, but it wasn’t like mine.

My curls. When I dared to let them show. Reminded me of the beautiful blend of my parents union.

But,…

Read the entire article here.

Tags: Brian Kamanzi, Mixed Humans, Mixed Humans ~ Reflections on occupying a space of inbetweenness. Persistently grappling with identity.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 at 17:42Z and is filed under Articles, Autobiography, Media Archive. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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Mixed Race Studies

Curly Hair

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