Decolonize Beauty
-
Annie Turnbo Malone - The Pioneer
At DeColonaise Hair and Body, we honor the legacy of Annie Turnbo Malone not simply as a successful businesswoman, but as a revolutionary force who used beauty as a means of resistance to colonial domination. Born in 1869, at a time when the colonial capitalist system sought to define, control, and devalue African beauty, Annie recognized that the condition of our hair was tied to the condition of our freedom. She created Poro, not just to sell products, but to restore dignity, self-worth, and economic independence to African women. Through Poro, she built an entire institution; training, employing, and uplifting thousands, proving that when African women control our image and our labor, we control our future. Annie’s vision was decolonial: she turned beauty culture into a vehicle for liberation, collective wealth, and self-determination.
-
Buying Black Power
Paper. Dough. Scrilla. Cheddar. Bread. Benjamins. Coins. Just as Black folks nickname their loved ones, over the years, they have found many creati... -
DeColonaise: The Intersection of Pretty and Politics
What does it mean to be beautiful when you are a Black woman? Does it mean light skin? Can you have short hair? Do you need to be on the thick side... -
"Ghetto Hair" is Just a Demeaning Way to Refer to African Hair Styles
The word "ghetto" is synonymous with poverty and low class people. It is a word that has also been used to degrade African cultural expression.
