While there are some black celebrities with natural hair, what makes Solange Knowles unique is that she began her career with hair that was permed and began a natural hair journey while in the spotlight. I admire the boldness and courage it must have taken to do such a thing. I imagine that everyone in her “camp” was not delighted with her decision and numerous individuals have openly critiqued her mane. All of us are subjected to subliminal and direct messages filtered through to us by the media-telling us what is attractive, beautiful, and desirable for women. For people actually involved in the entertainment industry, the pressure and inundation must be much worse. But she has stood her ground. And beautifully.

In an Oprah interview shortly after “big chopping” Solange discussed her decision to “go natural” and commented that she feels “free”. She stated that she was tired of the hassle of going to hair salons, the cost of haircare, and the time it took out of her life to maintain her perms and weaves. While Solange may not be the superpower in the industry that her sister Beyonce is, she is a respected and talented artist. Since Solange is a public figure, her decision to wear her hair naturally has been a major inspiration to black women with natural hair. To my knowledge, this is the first black celebrity that has ever transitioned to natural hair while in the spotlight.

Kudos to you Solange, thank you so much. You have given more confidence to women who desire to wear their hair naturally and those who already do.

~Evelyn