The Gift My Ancestors Gave -
By: Macy Freeman -
 How lucky I am and how blessed I have been to have the opportunity to attend a historically black university. As a student at Howard University, I encounter some of the most intelligent, talented and not to mention, diverse young people. On Howard’s  campus, one will find students rocking dreads, braids, short-cropped dos, and relaxers and weaves too.
These students are not only diverse in the hairstyles they wear but also in their thinking and style.
On campus, I bear witness to black beauty in all its forms. We are all so different yet we are all a product of relatively, the same past.
In the 1960s, black college students entered a period of black empowerment, which included a deviation from traditional black roles. Activism was at an all time high and Black was beautiful, and this sentiment was expressed not only vocally, but also physically. Afros began to make a larger appearance in the black community as Blacks were looking for ways to express cultural heritage and revolt against traditional beauty ideals.
 Flash forward two decades to the 80s, and a new cultural phenomenon was developing. With the emergence of Hip-Hop, black style and attitude was beginning to change. Hip-Hop was a new cultural movement, which exuded fun, youth and creativity. The hair of the time reflected this new change, and those feeling particularly nostalgic revisit this decade by reproducing past hairstyles and making them hot again.
Our ancestors left us with a great legacy of resilience that also includes innovations and an eclectic style that has evolved, but maintained a similar essence. Today, hair continues to be a way for Black people to express themselves and our ancestry reflects in these expressions. For many Black people, wearing our hair in its natural state can serve as a way to connect to the ones who came before us.
Happy Black History Month…Rejoice!
February 1, 2010
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