Our hair was already beautiful; that wasn’t the problem! But the flimsy hair brushes Lyda Newman had grown up using had MAJOR flaws when used on Black hair. And she knew we could do better.
As a young hairdresser, Newman was spending too much money and time replacing and cleaning brushes that were NOT made for us. When she combed her customers’ strong, thick hair, the bristles would catch or fall out, or the brush itself would snap!
Frustrated, and feeling awful for the pain she was causing her clients, she had an idea. What if the bristles were synthetic instead of animal hair? And they were spaced wider apart?
Then the brush would last longer, be cheaper, and would suit OUR hair! She also added a compartment to catch debris, making cleaning easier, too. But who could help her make this a reality?
She realized that she could do it herself – and did! For her, a part of her Black activism was taking care of our amazing crowns. We no longer had to settle for combs that were NOT made for us!
Newman’s hairbrush was patented in 1898, when she was only 13 years old! When we work to make our own lives easier, we can contribute to our community in profound ways. How are you using your talents to contribute to our community?