You know how we feel about our crowns around here, well I discovered this book called Queens by Michael Cunningham & George Alexander. It is a wonderful book covering black women and their crowns.
From intricate braids to relaxed, flowing tresses to dreadlocks to Afros, black women have literally used their heads to express themselves and showcase their ideals of beauty. In more than fifty gorgeous photographs accompanied by vivid, personal narratives, QUEENS explores the fascination with hair and beauty that has long been a part of African American culture.
A host of women tell their personal hair stories and female hairdressers explain why they devote their lives to making black woman feel like royalty. A gallery of portraits taken at black hair shows throughout the country is juxtaposed with photographs taken in Africa, bringing to light the almost uncanny connection between the innovative 'dos of contemporary African America and traditional African styles.
“When we found out the baby was a girl, my husband said,
‘Okay, a girl. Alright, that means we’re going to have hair issues.’”
–Lynn Godfrey
“I set my hair money aside like it’s a bill...It’s like paying the phone bill, the electricity bill, the gas bill. I don’t play about my hair.
–Nitiya Barry
“When I see myself in an afro I feel more powerful than when
I wear my hair permed and straight. I feel like I can take on
the world. –Thoundia Bickam
A natural sequel to Crowns, by turns moving and funny, QUEENS is the ultimate all-occasion gift book, perfect for Christmas, Kwanzaa, Mother’s Day, and birthdays.
2 comments:
I absolutely LOVE this book!! I discovered it three years ago and was hooked on it. That reminds me that I have to "give" it to myself, lol...
I read this book a little over a year ago and was mesmerized. I was like a child, looking at all the pictures first and then going back to read the stories.
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