Afro Popular Books
Afro Biography & Facts
The afro is a hair style created by combing out natural growth of afro-textured hair, or specifically styled with chemical curling products by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair. The hairstyle can be created by combing the hair away from the scalp, dispersing a distinctive curl pattern, and forming the hair into a rounded shape, much like a cloud or puff ball. For people with wavy or straight hair, the hair style is created with the help of permanent hair structure-changing creams or gels and/or other solidifying liquids to temporarily hold the hair in place. Particularly popular in the African community of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the hairstyle is often shaped and maintained with the assistance of a wide-toothed comb colloquially known as an Afro pick. Etymology "Afro" is derived from the term "Afro-American". The hairstyle is also referred to by some as a "natural hairstyle". In most cases the hair is left untreated by relaxers or straightening chemicals and is instead allowed to express its natural curl or kinkiness. History in the United States Circassian beauties In the 1860s, a hairstyle similar to the afro was worn by the Circassian beauties. Sometimes known as "Moss-haired girls", they were a group of women exhibited in sideshow attractions in the United States by P. T. Barnum and others. These women claimed to be descendants of the Circassian people in the North Caucasus region, and were marketed to White audiences captivated by the "exotic East" as pure examples of the Caucasian race who were kept as sexual slaves in Turkish harems. It has been argued that this portrayal of a Caucasian woman as a rescued slave during the American Civil War played on the racial connotations of slavery at the time so that the distinctive hairstyle affiliates the side-show white Circassian with African-American identity, and thus: ... resonates oddly yet resoundingly with the rest of her identifying significations: her racial purity, her sexual enslavement, her position as colonial subject; her beauty. The Circassian blended elements of white Victorian True Womanhood with traits of the enslaved black woman in one curiosity. African-American hairstyles prior to the 1960s During the history of slavery in the United States, most African Americans styled their hair in an attempt to mimic the styles of the predominantly white society in which they lived. Afro-textured hair, characterized by its tight kinks, has been described as being kinky, coarse, cottony, nappy, or woolly. These characteristics represented the antithesis of the European American standard of beauty, and led to a negative view of kinky hair. As a result, the practice of straightening gained popularity among African Americans. The process of straightening the hair often involved applying caustic substances, such as relaxers containing lye, which needed to be applied by an experienced hairstylist so as to avoid burning the scalp and ears. Those who chose not to artificially treat their hair would often opt to style it into tight braids or cornrows. With all of these hairstyling methods, one ran the risk of damaging the hair shaft, sometimes resulting in hair loss. 1960s and 1970s The effect of the Civil Rights Movement brought a renewed sense of identity to the African–American community, which also resulted in a redefinition of personal style that included an appreciation of black beauty and aesthetics, as embodied by the "Black is beautiful" movement. This cultural movement marked a return to more natural, untreated hairstyles. The afro became a powerful political symbol which reflected black pride and a rejection of notions of assimilation and integration—not unlike the long and untreated hair sported by the mainly White hippies. To some African Americans, the afro also represented a reconstitutive link to West Africa and Central Africa. However, some critics have suggested that the afro hairstyle is not particularly African: In his book Welcome to the Jungle: New Positions in Black Cultural Studies, cultural critic Kobena Mercer argued that the contemporary African society of the mid-20th century did not consider either hairstyle to denote any particular "Africanness"; conversely, some Africans felt that these styles signified "First-worldness". Similarly, Brackette F. Williams stated in her book Stains on My Name, War in My Veins: Guyana and the Politics of Cultural Struggle that African nationalists were irritated by the afro's adoption by African Americans as a symbol of their African heritage; they saw this trend as an example of Western arrogance. The afro was adopted by both men and women and was a hairstyle that was easier to maintain by oneself, without requiring frequent and sometimes costly visits to the hairstylist as was often experienced by people who chose to braid, straighten or relax their hair. Due to the kinky pattern prominent in Afro-textured hair, as it grows longer it has a tendency to extend outward from the head, resulting in a domelike hairstyle which is easily molded and sculpted into the desired shape. While the afro was a much less invasive and time-consuming hairstyle choice for many African Americans, some chose to achieve a more voluminous version of the afro by backcombing or teasing the hair, a practice that can result in damage to the hair and scalp. In the mid-1960s, the afro hairstyle began in a fairly tightly coiffed form, such as the hairstyle that became popular among members of the Black Panther Party. As the 1960s progressed towards the 1970s, popular hairstyles, both within and outside of the African-American community, became longer and longer. As a result, the late 1960s/early 1970s saw an expansion in the overall size of afros. Some of the entertainers and sociopolitical figures of the time known for wearing larger afros include political activist Angela Davis, actress Pam Grier, rock musician Jimi Hendrix, singer Miriam Makeba, and the members of the musical groups the Jackson 5 and the Supremes. In contrast, the afro's popularity among African Americans had already started to wane by the early 1970s; the introduction of the afro to the mainstream and its adoption by people of non-African descent caused the afro to lose its radical, political edge. The 1970s saw an increase in the popularity of braided hairstyles such as cornrows among both sexes of African Americans. 1990s and 2000s The afro saw some resurgence in both the 1990s and the 2000s. These afros would take varied forms, some incorporating elements such as braids, beads or twists, as well as various sizes, from close-cropped natural hairstyles all the way to expansive afro wigs. Some African Americans who have been known for wearing afros or afro wigs during these two decades include NBA basketball players Ben Wallace, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Beasley, as well as musicians Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Macy Gray, Ludacris, Questlove, Cindy Blackman, Wiz Khalifa, and Lenny Krav.... Discover the Afro popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Afro books.
Best Seller Afro Books of 2024
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Palette
Funmi Fetto'Genius... Fetto delves deep into her knowledge of the ultimate makeup and skincare essentials for women of colour. Read for the tips, ogle for the illustrations' ELLE'The beauty ...
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Babalawo
Frank EyiogbeCuban Ifá From An Insider Hidden within the mysterious AfroCuban religion of Santería, also known as Lucumí, there is a deep body of secrets and rituals called Ifá. This book pulls...
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Big Hair and Plastic Grass
Dan EpsteinThe Bronx Is Burning meets Chuck Klosterman in Big Hair, a wild popculture history of baseball's most colorful and controversial decade.The Major Leagues witnessed more dramatic st...
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Euro-Jews and Afro-Arabs
Ali A. MazruiThe impact of European and Semitic peoples upon world civilization and African history is addressed in this scholarly study. The Jewish wing of the Semitic people converged with th...
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Hurricane Summer
Asha Ashanti Bromfield"This is an excellent examination of the ways wealth, gender, and color can shape and at times create mental and emotional fractures. Verdict: A great title for public and high sch...
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The Secrets of Afro-Cuban Divination
Ócha'ni LeleThe first book to provide complete, specific instructions on casting the Diloggún, the cowrieshell oracle of the Orishas. Provides stepbystep instructions never before published, ...
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Afro Asia
Fred Ho & Bill V. MullenWith contributions from activists, artists, and scholars, Afro Asia is a groundbreaking collection of writing on the historical alliances, cultural connections, and shared politica...
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Self-Care for Black Women
Oludara AdeeyoPrioritize your wellbeing with these 150 selfcare exercises designed specifically to help Black women revitalize their outlook on life, improve their mental health, eliminate stres...
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The Common Wind
Julius S. ScottThis widely acclaimed and influential work of African American history traces the slave revolts that made the modern revolutionary era. “An important part of the tradition of sch...
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Good Morning, Love
Ashley M ColemanFor fans of My (Not So) Perfect Life and Jasmine Guillory’s While We Were Dating, a disarmingly fun debut novel follows Carlisa Henton as her life comes undone after a chance meeti...
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They Had a Dream
Jules ArcherThe majority of the civil rights movement in the United States occurred in three stages. The first stage began with the slaves in America fighting for their freedom. Frederick Doug...
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Slay In Your Lane
Yomi Adegoke & Elizabeth UviebinenéThe longawaited, inspirational guide to life for a generation of black British women inspired to make lemonade out of lemons, and find success in every area of their lives.‘This bo...
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Hair Story
Ayana Byrd & Lori TharpsTwo world wars, the Civil Rights movement, and a Jheri curl later, Blacks in America continue to have a complex and convoluted relationship with their hair. From the antebellum pra...
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The Shooting of Rabbit Wells
William LoizeauxWhat put a white cop and a black youth on a tragic collision course? This moving account is more timely than ever.On a frigid winter’s night in 1973, William “Rabbit” Wells, a youn...
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A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie
Vanessa RileyFounded by the ton's most ingenious countess, the secret society The Widow’s Grace comes to the aid of illtreated widows and wives and helps them regain their fortunes, their famil...
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Between Harlem and Heaven
Alexander Smalls, J.J. Johnson & Veronica ChambersWinner of the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook“Between Harlem and Heaven presents a captivatingly original cuisine. AfroAsianAmerican cooking is packed with unique and ...
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How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House
Cherie JonesIn the tradition of Zadie Smith and Marlon James, a brilliant Caribbean writer delivers a powerful story about four people each desperate to escape their legacy of violence in a so...
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Murder in Westminster
Vanessa RileyPerfect for readers looking for a darker twist on Bridgerton, this first in a vibrant, inclusive historical mystery series from an acclaimed author Vanessa Riley portrays the true ...
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Black Culture and Black Consciousness
the late Lawrence W. LevineWhen Black Culture and Black Consciousness first appeared thirty years ago, it marked a revolution in our understanding of African American history. Contrary to prevailing ideas at...
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The Accidental Santera
Irete LazoA oneofakind novel that plunges readers into the secrets of AfroCuban Santeriaa world of fascinating beauty, pulsating rhythms, and great mystery.Gabrielle Segovia, Ph.D., is strug...
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Dressed in Dreams
Tanisha C. FordNOW OPTIONED BY Sony Pictures TV FOR A LIVEACTION SERIES ADAPTATION: produced by Freida Pinto and Gabrielle Union "A perfect time to look at the ethos of black hair in America an...
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Yawd
Adrian ForteThe ONLY cookbook you need this summer! Dive into this bold, flavorfilled cookbook, packed with recipes to bring sunfilled island vibes to your home.Yawd = comfort food that ...
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Afro-Vegan
Bryant TerryRenowned chef and food justice activist Bryant Terry reworks and remixes the favorite staples, ingredients, and classic dishes of the African Diaspora to present more than 100 whol...
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An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States
Kyle T. MaysThe first intersectional history of the Black and Native American struggle for freedom in our country that also reframes our understanding of who was Indigenous in early AmericaBeg...
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Flash of the Spirit
Robert Farris ThompsonThis landmark book shows how five African civilizationsYoruba, Kongo, Ejagham, Mande and Cross Riverhave informed and are reflected in the aesthetic, social and metaphysical tradit...
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An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler
Vanessa RileyAn OMag.com & Bibliolifestyle Most Anticipated Romance of 2021A PopSugar Best Romance of AprilA Publishers Weekly Top 10 Romance of Spring 2021 A witty and moving story fr...
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Afro Puffs Are the Antennae of the Universe
Zig Zag ClaybourneNo one has time for your BS...but Captain Desiree Quicho and crew of utter badasses surely don't. Got a universe to save. Again. Commandeer one piece of outofthisworld tech and sud...
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Afro-Latin America
George Reid AndrewsOf the almost 11 million Africans who came to the Americas between 1500 and 1870, twothirds came to Spanish America and Brazil. Over four centuries, Africans and their descendantsb...
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AFRO Sci-Fi Anthology
Stafford BattleAfrican American Science Fiction. Leap into the Black Fantastic. Afro Scifi offers an eyeopening anthology of stories with an unique AfroCentric viewpoint. Sword and Soul, Black We...
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Afro-Paradise
Christen A SmithTourists exult in Bahia, Brazil, as a tropical paradise infused with the black population’s oneofakind vitality. But the alluring images of smiling black faces and dancing black bo...
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The Whiskey Rebellion
William HogelandA gripping and sensational tale of violence, alcohol, and taxes, The Whiskey Rebellion uncovers the radical eighteenthcentury people’s movement, long ignored by historians, that co...
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Africa Risen
Sheree Renee Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki & Zelda KnightWinner of the 2023 World Fantasy Award for Best AnthologyWinner of the 2023 Locus Award for Best AnthologyA 2023 NAACP Image Award NomineeA 2023 British Fantasy Award NomineeA NPR ...
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Self-Care for Black Men
Jor-El CaraballoA selfcare guidebook full of activities for Black men everywhere pursuing joy, creating connections, confronting racism, and working through intergenerational trauma.Black men desp...
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Tempting the Billionaire
Niobia BryantAn irresistible but forbidden temptation…Betrayed by his fiancée, selfmade billionaire Chance Castillo plans to sue his ex for her share of their milliondollar wedding. His unexpec...
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Shallow Waters
Anita KopaczIn this “captivating” (Harper’s Bazaar) and lyrical debut novelperfect for fans of The Water Dancer and the Legacy of Orïsha seriesthe Yoruba deity of the sea, Yemaya, is brought t...
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Ties That Bind
Tiya MilesThis beautifully written book, now in its second edition, tells the haunting saga of a quintessentially American family. In the late 1790s, Shoe Boots, a famed Cherokee warrior and...
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Urban Voodoo
Christopher S. Hyatt & S. Jason BlackThis book fills a longstanding need in the literature: Voodoo, Santeria, and Macumba as practiced today in cities throughout the Western world. It is not another history or sociolo...
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Twisted
Emma DabiriA Kirkus Best Book of the YearStamped from the Beginning meets You Can't Touch My Hair in this timely and resonant essay collection from Guardian contributor and prominen...
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Afro-Nostalgia
Badia Ahad-LegardyThe past as a building block of a more affirming and hopeful futureAs early as the eighteenth century, white Americans and Europeans believed that people of African descent could n...