Susan L. Taylor Protests Hampton's Policy

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by ladygreek
Funny, I don't consider my locs to be extreme.

And I suspect the 75 top African Americans in Corporate America began their careers before locs became popular. Who knows what their hair styles may have been if that wasn't the case?

My daughter wears her hair in finger-combed twists. Hasn't hurt her upward mobility.

And they looked nice when I saw you mama. I'm sure they're much longer now.

I understand what people mean when they speak of individual expression and being allowed to succeed despite personal expressions. However, out of curiosity, is there ever a line to be drawn? As you know people get locks for different reasons and some of those reasons include not grooming them at all.

I'm biased against people who APPEAR unkept, regardless of race, hairstyle or style of dress.

[ladygreek]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
I'm biased against people who APPEAR unkept, regardless of race, hairstyle or style of dress.

EXACTLY!

*and yes they are much longer *

[Eclipse]

Instead of banning these hairstyles, Hampton would do a better job of educating their students on the potential of bias, but even that depends on the industry. I was at an engineering/computer science awards banquet several years ago and there was a brother getting an award with locks past his shoulders. He was a Director level at Cisco. They were more concerned with what was *IN* his head than *ON* it. Now in some ultra conservative environments like Wall STreet, Banking, etc. this might be the case. That way, students can make the decision on if they want to conform or not.

I wonder if the ban on braids were gender specific??

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by ladygreek
EXACTLY!

*and yes thay are much longer *

I guess I'll see them in Philly.

[madmax]

She should get a haircut so she doesn't look like a slob.

[Rae1]

What about those graduates who do not plan to work in corporate America? There are people with MBAs that work as educators, non profit workers, restauranteurs, entrepeneurs, etc. I am always outraged when I hear about racially based hair discrimination but this outrage has increased exponentially due to the fact that these requirements are being mandated by an HBCU.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Rae1
What about those graduates who do not plan to work in corporate America? There are people with MBAs that work as educators, non profit workers, restauranteurs, entrepeneurs, etc. I am always outraged when I hear about racially based hair discrimination but this outrage has increased exponentially due to the fact that these requirements are being mandated by an HBCU.

Well, now people know what schools not to apply to if they wanna wear locs.

[Rae1]

That's true but it is inconvenient for those students already in that program. I guess I was under the impression that it is a new rule.

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
Well, now people know what schools not to apply to if they wanna wear locs.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Rae1
That's true but it is inconvenient for those students already in that program. I guess I was under the impression that it is a new rule.

It's relatively new. I see your point.

[Wolfman]

It's my understanding that Hampton has somewhat of a dress code anyway. They are a throw back, in a sense, to what many HBCUs were in an bygone era, it appears to me, in terms of trying to shape habits of deportment,etc. to prepare one for professional life. I think this is a positive thing overall.

An aside: back in the '90s when I was living in Southern Cali, I attended a District Council meeting of the Fraternity. The attire was (and is) business: suit and tie. An undergrad came in in casual attire and sat down, slumping in his chair, as if he was in a,high school classroom. The chair immediately stopped the meeting and instructed the young brother what was expected of him in group of professional black men in Omega.

[Alouette]

Wonder what the attitude is about braids.

About 10 years ago I was working at a Tax Shelter department at Citibank and while they allowed me to wear braids, my "melanin-challenged" supervisor from CT made certain I knew she didn't think they looked "professional," and that she thought it "inappropriate" for a bank. I wasn't even working with the public.

There was nothing wrong with them; just clean, well-kept cherokee braids. Go figure. I think some people are just threatened by our hair for stupid reasons.

On the converse: We had a "melanin-challenged" summer student at our church working with the youth and her dishwater blonde hair was dreaded too. She spearheaded a summer camp between a predominately white church and a predominantly black church. Both groups adored her and she said that was the first time a lot of those white kids ever saw black kids their age, and vice versa.

I wonder if those kids would have gravitated to each other if she wasn't the conduit...and I wonder how much of it had to do with the comfort she felt with herself and her hair. Chelsea (yep that was her name) was very together and very real, and very empassioned about peace and social justice. She's probably the only "melanin-challenged" girl I'd imagine in locs, and pulling it off authentically (not as a fad). She wants to do social work in Brazil I think.

[AXEAM]

Originally posted by Wolfman
It's my understanding that Hampton has somewhat of a dress code anyway. They are a throw back, in a sense, to what many HBCUs were in an bygone era, it appears to me, in terms of trying to shape habits of deportment,etc. to prepare one for professional life. I think this is a positive thing overall.

An aside: back in the '90s when I was living in Southern Cali, I attended a District Council meeting of the Fraternity. The attire was (and is) business: suit and tie. An undergrad came in in casual attire and sat down, slumping in his chair, as if he was in a,high school classroom. The chair immediately stopped the meeting and instructed the young brother what was expected of him in group of professional black men in Omega.

I wish those days would come back again..the dress attire and many of the current hair styles leaves something to be desired. I'm in the minority that happens to agree with Hampton University.

[Bajan_Delta]

Well I fully disagree with this!! This attitude at an HBCU is outrageous. This type of policy continues to perpetuate feelings of self hate in the young black community. Our hair is unique, no other group/race has hair like ours. As a Napptural woman I found that most negative comments come from Blacks and Caucasians seem fascinated by what my hair can do. Well I for one will continue to wear my twist and my big puffy fro to the office and I challenge anyone to look up in my face and tell me something negative about it.

[Exquisite5]

I don't agree or disagre with Hampton's rule. IMHO Hampton is a private institution and can do whatever they please.

If someone doesn't like the rule he/she shouldn't go to Hampton.

If a current student finds the rule that important he/she should vote with his/her feet....and leave.

Hampton is NOT the only business school and its also NOT the only HBCU.

[CrimsonTide4]

http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur25880.cfm

Susan L. Taylor, the editorial director of Essence magazine, pulled out of a speaking engagement at Hampton University recently after learning of its policy on acceptable hairstyles for students in the five-year master's of business administration program.

"Braids, dreadlocks and other unusual hairstyles are not acceptable" is the university's policy as reported by Journalism's Richard Prince on April 12. Taylor, who has worn long braids for years, decided to protest the rule by withdrawing her participation at the school's 28th Annual Conference on the Black Family held last month.

"I recently withdrew my participation in the 28th Annual Conference on the Black Family at Hampton University,"

"I began receiving emails from numerous sources advising me of disturbing regulations disallowing locks and braided hairstyles for Hampton students," Taylor told Murray for his Monday BV Buzz column. "One such email included an Associated Press story headlined: 'University Bans Certain Hairstyles for Students.' As a businesswoman and public figure who has proudly worn my hair braided for more than 25 years, I was incredulous and felt insulted. My executive assistant, Debra Parker, contacted the university for clarification, and when she was advised that this was the school's policy, I easily made the decision to cancel my visit.

"The freedom to wear our hair in ways that celebrate our heritage is one of our 'rites of passage.' Students would benefit from learning how to care for and groom locks and braids and wear them in ways that are appropriate in a business setting," Taylor wrote on March 28.

Taylor said she even recommended that Dr. William R. Harvey, the university president, "reconsider this policy and invite informed image consultants to address students in your business program about how to make individual style work in the corporate environment. Perhaps the greatest challenge . . . students will face in the work world is remaining whole and true to themselves in environments that are often hostile to African-Americans. Staying connected to our community and culture is critical. Trying to transform themselves to fit into hardly welcoming environments has scarred countless numbers of Black people."

Ultimately, Dean Sid Credle of the Hampton School of Business is standing by the code, "and said a more clean-cut look can be an asset to almost any student seeking advancement in the corporate world," wrote Ieesha Mckinzie in a March 27th story on Black College Wire.