Cultured Coils: A Multiple Case Study Exploring Black Mothers’ Hair Choices and the Impacts on Their Black Daughters

Black hair is culturally significant and a form of self-expression for Black women. The literature reviewed about Black women and their hair focused on Black women and their hair experiences but did not explore the ways in which the generational impact or influence of those hair experiences. This study employed the theoretical frameworks of Collins (i.e., Black Feminist Thought) and Crenshaw (i.e., Intersectionality) to explore how Black women think about Black hair and how those thoughts impact the choices they make regarding their and their daughter’s hair. A qualitative method of an exploratory multiple case study, utilizing semi-structured interviews, was used as it allowed the researcher to describe the participants’ experiences while respecting the uniqueness of each individual participant. Black mothers (n = 4) who have Black daughters between the ages of 3 and 17 were interviewed to investigate Black mothers’ hair choices and the impacts of those choices on their Black daughters. Four themes emerged from the findings of this study including a) Black hair is enough, b) natural hair is the best option for Black hair, c) childhood hair shame, and d) breaking the cycle. These findings implicated that despite the disproportionate complex forms of external and internal factors that shape and influence how Black mothers view themselves and their hair, they are still able to have positive, beneficial experiences with their Black hair and share in those positive experiences with their Black daughters. The recommendations from this study are for a) parents to continue utilizing resources to facilitate discussion about Black hair, b) educators to incorporate more representation of Black hair within the curriculum, and c) policymakers to pass laws in all 50 states to address the ongoing discrimination of Black hair in schools and the workplace.