A young girl has been modeling various black hairstyles in recent years during a stunning photo shoot in honor of Madame CJ Walker, the first millionaire woman in America to revolutionize hair care for black women.
World famous photographers and a team of husband and wife Regis and Kahran Betancourt they teamed up to take the photos through their company CreativeSoul photographyin an attempt to celebrate the history of black hairstyles and how they have grown over the last 100 years.
Kendall Lowe model from Indianapolis, Indianashe wore a simple white lace dress while showcasing the most popular styles from the 19th century to the present day.
According to Regis and Kahran, they came up with ideas for each hairstyle from their own memories, as well as by looking at images from each decade.
“CreativeSoul Photography believes that everyone deserves to be truly seen, so we go beyond just taking beautiful photos,” the company wrote on its website.
A young girl has been modeling various black hairstyles over the years in honor of Madame CJ Walker. In the photo she shows what, according to the photographers, the future hairstyles will look like
Photographers Regis and Kahran Bettenkur (pictured) took the photos in an attempt to celebrate the history of black hairstyles and how they have grown over the past 100 years.
Madame CJ Walker was the first female millionaire in America to revolutionize hair care for black women
“We are more than just photographers. We are artists and trusted business partners, obsessed with unique, visual storytelling and capturing unconventional beauty.
“Our goal is to tell your own unique story through photos that will last a lifetime.”
Madame Walker was born in Louisiana and began as a sales agent for a hair care company run by Annie Turnboy Malone before launching her own brand called Madam CJ Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower in 1905.
“We can’t help but think that if she were still alive today, she would be proud to lead the era of black women who become empowered and believe they can strive for wealth and economic prosperity,” the photographers wrote. on Instagram while we were discussing Madame Walker.
He products – the first hair products aimed at African-American women – were designed to promote hair growth and make your hair healthier while taming it.
She popularized the style of the press and curls and became the first woman millionaire as a result of her hair care line, which put her in the Guinness Book of Records.
By the time of her death in 1919, at the age of 51, Madame Walker was earning an annual income of more than $ 500,000.
“There are other businesswomen who may have reached the million-dollar mark earlier, but their finances are not as well documented.” Guinness World Records reports.
1800s: Straight hair
Many black women kept their hair tame and straight in the 1800s (pictured), as Caucasians preferred those who wore their hair in styles close to white culture.
During slavery, black women used bacon grease, butter, and kerosene to tame their hair because brushes, combs, and conditioner were not available to them.
At that time, slaves with straighter hair and lighter skin were considered more valuable, so it was important for them to keep their locks neat.
After the abolition of slavery, Caucasians still prefer black women who wear their hair in styles that are close to white culture, which has led to the belief in the black community that straight hair is “good” and curly hair is “bad.”
At the time, segregation was still visible in much of the country, and black women needed “good hair” to enter churches, schools, local organizations, and more.
In the 1880s, metal hot combs became available for the first time in the United States, a device that uses heat to temporarily straighten curly hair; and this made the straight-haired look even more popular with the black community.
Then, in the early 1900s, Madame Walker first took the stage when she launched the first hair care products for black women.
1950s and 1960s: Straight hair continued to reign
In 1954, George E. Johnson created a product that helps straighten curly hair – and this makes it easier to achieve the look. Kendall is pictured with a classic 1950s hairstyle
In the 1960s, the straight-haired look continued to be popular with black women. Kendall is pictured with a classic 1960s hairstyle
In 1954, George E. Johnson also created Ultra Wave Hair Culture from Johnson Products Company – another product for straightening curly hair – and this facilitated the achievement of appearance.
Its product allows black men and women to straighten their hair without applying heat.
Margaret Vinci Held created the Beehive hairstyle in the 60’s, which involves accumulating hair on the top of their head in the shape of a cone and placing it in place with copious amounts of hairspray.
In the 1960s, the straight-haired look continued to be popular with black women, but in 1968, actress Diane Carroll broke the model when she starred in the TV show Julia with Curly Hair.
1970s: Afro
In the 1970s, Afro (pictured) became popular and symbolized pride and black pride at a time when the community was really learning to embrace their history and characteristics.
The 1970s led to many major changes in the United States, including the Civil Rights Movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Vietnam War, Woodstock, rock’n’roll, and Afro.
Angela Davis – a political activist, philosopher, academic, scientist and writer – was one of the first to promote Afro – making her an icon of black power and inspiring many other women to try out their looks.
Afro, also famously worn by Diana Ross, symbolizes selfishness and black pride at a time when the black community was really learning to embrace its history and characteristics.
80s: Jheri’s Curl
The Jheri curl erupted in the 1980s (pictured). Stars such as Whitney Houston and Grace Jones have been spotted with great curly hairstyles, and curls, mousse and hairspray have taken over the community.
The Jheri curl – named after Jheri Redding, who invented a chemical process that helped remove your curls – exploded in the late 70’s and early 1980’s, which includes tons of curls with moisture.
At the time, big Hollywood names like Whitney Houston and Grace Jones were seen with big curly hairstyles, and curls, mousse and hairspray took over the black community.
1990s: A variety of hairstyles
In the 90s of last century, the world began to see a lot of black hairstyles. Curls were still relevant, while beans and corn rows also became popular. Kendall is depicted in a classic hairstyle from the 90s
In the 90s of last century, the world began to see many different black hairstyles. The curls were still inside while Holly Berry debuted with a short, straight bean in the movie Boomerang – which made the hairstyle popular among her fans.
Janet Jackson wore braids in the film Poetic Justice, which also became a major vision for black women in the 1990s.
Singer Aaliyah, on the other hand, shook her straight long hair, promoting this look once again; in the 1990s, it turned out that many different styles flooded the entire black community.
2000s: Smooth and stylized
In the early 2000s, many black women began to chemically straighten their hair again and chose more elegant and reserve styles. Kendall is depicted in a classic hairstyle from the 2000s
In the early 2000s, many African-American women began to re-straighten their hair chemically and chose more elegant and reserve styles. Then, in 2010, natural hair flourished again among black women.
Regis and Kahran said they are “obsessed with unique, visual storytelling” and have worked with hundreds of children, families and brands over the past 12 years.
They specialize in lifestyle photography and authentic, visual storytelling – their work has been featured on Teen Vogue, CNN, Glamor magazine, Vogue Italia, Black Enterprise and many more.
The photos were taken in August 2021 and each hairstyle takes about 30-40 minutes.