Cultural significance

In the early 1900’s American culture, hair products were mainly sold by white’s men for white men and women’s preference as a luxury. During the end of slavery in the early 1900’s and at the wake of the Industrial Revolution, there was finally a time for the marketing of beauty products for African Americans (COCOA CHIC, 2008). During the time of slavery, Blacks did not have resources to care for their appearance and hair. Therefore, many African Americans who battled with slavery, freedom meant a chance to fit into the American culture for a higher chance of success in life.

In relation to the cultural norm in America at the time, white women’s hair was desired to be straight and silky soft (COCOA CHIC, 2008). Marketers aimed their products to whites to help maintain the shine and straightness of their own kind, leaving African Americans with hardly any resources and products to help manage their hair. There is a marked difference between African American and Caucasian hair that helps explain why hair products for African American hair were very beneficial. Caucasian hair has more natural oils than African American hair (Yahoo Answers, 2008). The oils help protect hair from damage and support hair growth at a fast rate than African American hair. Slower hair growth results in more damaged hair including brittle texture and breakage (Yahoo Answers, 2008).

Before Walker’s “Wonderful Hair Grower,” there was even sceptism about white dominiated hair product companies trying to provide harmful, perhaps even deadly products to the Black population (Byrd, A. D. & Tharps, L., 2003). This controversy raised headlines in the media, and even as much as getting a haircut possed a health threat to the black population (Byrd, A. D. & Tharps, L., 2003).

Therefore, at the turn of the century, Blacks were eager to live on their own and improve their lives. By improving their lives, they wanted to improve their appearance. Instead of trying to fit in with the social exceptable straight hair that enhances social advantage and economic opprotunity for the white population, Walker had a different idea. She wanted to create a product that inhance the hair of African American women from every angle. Walker wanted something to improve hair by which had been damaged by multiple causes common to African American women, especially those who worked as slaves out in the farmyards.

Madam C.J. Walker herself was an example of an African American women who had problems with her own hair. Still known as Sarah Breedlove when developing her “Wonderful Hair Grower,” she suffered from a scalp conditon herself that caused much of her hair to fall out. Her hair began to fall out around the mid 1890’s while in her thirties. This complaint was common for African American women due to a variety of reasons including inadequate washing leading to scalp disease, low-protein diets, illnesses, high fever, and damaging hair products (Bundles, A., 2001). Sarah quoted “I tried everything mentioned to me without any results.” (Bundles, A., 2001). Her own personal battle with scalp disease and hair loss made her more aware of the significance that is placed on hair and personal satisfaction with looks. Sarah was not satisfied and grew up being told that her frizzy, brittle hair along with the color of her skin only left her powerless (Bundles, A., 2001). This lead to her experimentation and would ultimately change not just the quality of her hair, but change the course of her life significantly while improving many women’s hair (Bundles, A., 2001). There is also research that points to the idea that Sarah had a dream in which a man came to her and told her the ingredients needed to grow hair back (Madame C.J. Walker, 2008).

Another area of cultural significance Walker’s products created includes controversy among other African American women who believed that blacks should maintain their natural curls rather than attempt at blending in with the socially accepted white women’s straight hair (C.J. Walker, 2001). This controversy arose when Walker used her products in conjunction with a comb that becomes hot, which was used to straighten black women’s tight curls. This type of straightening tool was used at Walker’s beauty salons and schools by Walker’s trained “Walker Agents”  (C.J. Walker, 2001). Despite controversy, Walker’s products were still highly popular among African American women. A photograph of “Walker Agents” is shown at left teaching the Walker process at the Harlem branch of Leila College in 1919 (Madame C.J. Walker, 2008).

Due to Walker’s success in selling her products door-to-door, she was able to travel to other states to market her products such as Oklahoma and Texas (Bundles, A., 2001). Walker also had ”beauty culturalists” who helped sell products door-to-door. Beauty Culturalists were known for starched spotless white blouses and long blacks skirts while selling products door-to-door (Vare & Ptacek, 1988). 

It was clear that with Walker’s invention, African American culture was impacted on the level of feminism, and in some respect, equality. The “Wonderful Hair Grower” help condition the scalp and add moisture to hair, thus improving hair health and ability to grow. Before Walker’s invention, there were no products available for African American women problem hair. After 1907, the “Wonderful Hair Grower” had in respect, help African American culture take a leap in self improvement and appreciation in their beauty. One consumer of Walker’s stated that she no longer had to wear fake hair pieces such as the “false braid or bangs” thanks to the “Wonderful Hair Grower” (Bundles, A., 2001).