Five men identified as Simm's choral group are posed for this group portrait dressed in suits and ties.
A popular method of hair treatment for African-American men during this time was the conk. A chemical relaxer is applied to the hair to straighten curly or kinky hair. These concoctions, typically consisting of lye, were very damaging to the hair. The process was frequently repeated to keep the hair straight and repair damage caused by dampness.
“How ridiculous I was! Stupid enough to stand there simply lost in admiration of my hair now looking “white,” reflected in the mirror in Shorty’s room. I vowed that I’d never again be without a conk, and I never was for many years (X, M.).”
Prominent figures such as Malcolm X, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Booker T. Washington have strongly urged the African American communities to accept their natural look and not to conform to the white standards, which have only bred self hate. The Black Power Movement of the sixties challenged white supremacy in various areas, including the ingrained Western standards and its impact on African Americans.
Portrait of a young male identified as Foster dressed in a checkered suit coat and dark colored bowtie.
Black and white portrait photograph of a man identified as De Malone wearing a suit and a necktie.
Headshot of an unidentified man dressed in a suit and bowtie. Possibly an employee of Tith Pace Real Estate.
Profile portrait of a man identified as Mr. Boone of the Urban League. He is dressed in a dark suit and tie.
Detroit Urban League, (2009). About Us. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from http://www.detroiturbanleague.org/ Web site: http://www.detroiturbanleague.org/index_002_002.htm
Sherrow, V. (2006). Encyclopedia of hair: A cultural history. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press.
Young, C. (2003). Assimilation and Social Change Dynamics in African and African American Communities. Western Journal of Black Studies, 27(3), 164-175.
