In This Article
Crowned
Welcome toCrowned,our new series all about the history of Black hair.
Join us in learning more.
This series is researched byChristine ForbesandOluwatobi Odugunwa.
Still, it is important to know the history behind the typing system and why it’s heavily criticized.
“It was about racial categorization to support racist ideologies,” Donaldson says.
The Hair Typing System Today
The hair typing systemwe know and refer to today has different origins.
Walker categorized hair into four categories: straight, wavy, curly, and coily.
Over time, up to three subcategories per category were added to the chart to classify hair textures further.
“The system has been widely critiqued for favoring looser curls over coily textures,” Donaldson explains.
Texture discrimination goes beyond Hollywood and impactspeople’s lives at school and in the workplace daily.
UCL.Eugen fischers hair colour gauge.
Seakamela S.Black hair bridging a code of conduct.
