Black is Beautiful: A Guide to Loving Your God-given Hair

By Stacy M. Gilbert

Stacy created this book in response to the many African-American women that approach her on a daily basis. These women ask her questions about her hair and express that they would like to do something similar to their hair. “It's impossible to give a stranger on the street the knowledge and experience you have gained for years.” Stacy decided to put it in writing. Initially it was going to be a website but that didn't work out. She is now glad that it didn't.

The book is a self help, inspirational book designed to hopefully change the negative thinking African-Americans have about their God given hair. The book contains some poetry written by the author. It also shares many of the author's ups and downs when she transitioned from CROP (Chemically Relaxed Or Pressed) hair to an African inspired hairstyle. The book presents four aspects that African-American women will likely have to go through. She hopes that African-American women will realize how beautiful their hair truly is without it being straightened. The four aspects the book presents are listed below in brief summaries.

Spiritual Transformation: A good start to begin the transformation from CROP hair to natural is to get quiet before God and simply ask Him for direction regarding your hair. It will be difficult hearing from God if you're not in a quiet place or if your mind is not quiet (full of stress and worries). Take deep breaths and close your eyes. Meditate on the scripture found in Genesis 1:31. God did not make a mistake with your hair. He purposely made our hair different from all of the other races. I don't know any other race of people whose hair is as unique as ours. And yet we will bend over backwards to straighten it. Remember, every thing that God made was good. Every thing.

Mental Transformation: Become cognizant of your own language when describing your hair or someone else's hair texture. Control the atmosphere in your home by surrounding yourself with pictures of beautiful women with African inspired hairstyles. I have seen some beautiful natural hairstyles on packages of hair products. Instead of throwing the package away, hold on to it for inspiration. Look at these pictures everyday.

Physical Transformation: You may have to take baby steps if you have worn your hair straight for most of your life. A baby step could be to give your weave a break. If you don't wear weaves then start letting your relaxer grow out. When you finally transition your hair, celebrate it. If you wear make-up put it on with your new hairstyle. Put your accessories on and your favorite outfit. Stand in front of the mirror alone with no distractions. Ask yourself what do you see? Don't ask anyone else until you have decided what you think about it. If you do ask someone, ask a close loved one. Say a simple prayer before you leave your house. Ask God to give you a boost in your security level with your new look. You will come to a point when you will not need to pray for confidence regarding your appearance.

Emotional Transformation: Surround yourself with people who are more concerned with the inner you. Superficial people make superficial friends. Remember, people do no like change. People will not accept change or won't be able to see your beauty if you can't see it for yourself. If you ever come to the point where you feel the need to backslide because of what “they say”, look at the person that is being negative. Do you admire their personal style? Do they have a personal style or are they wearing the same styles as everybody else? I can honestly say that every negative comment, look or snare always, always came from someone whose style (clothes, hair, etc.) I did not personally think much of.

Although this book is written for African-American women the book has a universal message. The message is to be yourself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 4, 2007
• ISBN: 9781796023374

Stacy M. Gilbert

Stacy M. Gilbert was born and raised in Detroit, MI. She attended and graduated from Detroit Public Schools. After graduating from high school, she wasn't excited about enrolling in college and being buried in books. She decided to enroll in beauty school because she knew that a large part of the curriculum would challenge her artistic side. She graduated and obtained her cosmetology license. She then decided to enroll in college and approximately six years later she obtained her certification as a registered occupational therapist. She married then divorced, but ended up with a beautiful son, Caleb.

Book preview

Copyright © 2007 by Stacy M. Gilbert.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

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system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are

models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 11/30/2023

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Contents

Acknowledgment

Introduction

1.     The Spiritual Transformation

Good Hair

2.     The Mental Transformation

Natural Hair Is Good Enough for Any Setting

3.     The Physical Transformation

Taming That Beautiful Lambswool

4.     The Emotional Transformation

Compliments, Compliments, Compliments

5.     Time for a Change

6.     Summary

All Things Work Together for Good

A Note of Thanks

DEDICATION

To all of the young girls who are becoming young women—the young girls who are unsure and have doubt about who they are. People may say many things about you, but that doesn’t make it true. People will say you can’t do this or you can’t do that because you don’t go to the right school or don’t have the right look or you don’t have the right background, you don’t, you don’t, you don’t. Do me a favor. Stop listening to them.

Acknowledgment

I would like to acknowledge the hairstylist of the author, Aida’s Braiding Salon, Detroit, Michigan.

I would also like to acknowledge the photographer, CLW Photography, Detroit, Michigan.

Introduction

I believe I am beautiful. I am beautiful with straight hair, curly hair, wavy hair, and especially with this mystical hair God designed for me. I have worn my hair straight for most of my life. Now that I wear African inspired hairstyles that don’t require my hair to be straightened, I feel more beautiful than I have ever felt before. I hope that this book will help African Americans think more positively about their hair. And more importantly, that their God given hair is beautiful.

Many, many African American women have stopped me in public and asked questions about my hair. The conversation usually lasts two to five minutes or whenever the elevator reaches my destination, or when the bank teller says, May I help the next person in line, or when I complete my transaction at a checkout line, or when the stoplight turns green, whichever comes first. The conversation is filled with statements such as Where do you get your hair done, You have the right-shaped face for it, You have good hair (I hate that one), I would like to wear my hair natural but I’m scared, I couldn’t wear that because . . . this, that, and the other. I have heard them all. When it’s time for me to go, I always feel like the conversation ended too soon. I also believe that some of the women feel that it ended too soon as well. This is the reason why I wrote this book. It’s basically a continuation of the conversations I have on almost a daily basis. I know in my heart that a lot of the women who approach me want to make a change, but they don’t know where or even how to start. They are not satisfied with their hair, and they are ready to explore something new. There are steps that I took to find something new. If I had the opportunity to invite one of the many women who approach me to