How Has Braiding Become a Victim of Cultural Appropriation?

Why history is important.

BY Bella Tabak ★ May 18th, 2025

Photo by: Diana Valdivia

While braids are common in many cultures, braiding holds a specific cultural significance within the Black community. When this history is overlooked, those appropriating the style tend to misrepresent it. Braiding has become a victim of cultural appropriation; however, by educating ourselves and others, we stop the continuation of the harm caused by it. 

What is the history of braiding within the Black community?

The origins of braiding trace back 5,000 years to ancient Africa. The style was popular among women and could identify a person’s tribe, age, marital status, religion and wealth.

Elle magazine’s YouTube video, “Watch This Documentary on Braids and Appropriation in America,” explains how after Black people were forcefully relocated to America their heads were shaved, stripping them of their identity. This forced them to rework their hair care routines — where the tradition of braiding their hair on Sundays began. 

Braiding continued to play an important role in the post-slavery era.The style became a way for the Black community to reclaim their identity and culture. Braiding and natural styling also became a way to resist Eurocentric beauty standards, and a symbol of Black pride during the civil rights movement. 

What is cultural appropriation, and when did braiding first become appropriated by white people?

Harriet Brown, a Newhouse professor who teaches diversity and beauty within fashion media, said cultural appropriation is when a dominant culture profits by taking something from a marginalized culture. A dominant culture refers to members of a society who hold power over others. 

“The profit can be economic or social — you can make money from cultural appropriation, or you can be considered hip, or cool or exotic for it,” said Brown. 

In 1979, white actress Bo Derek was depicted in the movie 10 with cornrows, an African braided hairstyle. This launched a trend, and magazines inaccurately coined cornrows as “Bo Braids.”

“The movie obviously made money, and suddenly she was super cool for wearing this ‘exotic’ style,” said Brown. 

Rezi Ubogu, a sophomore studying television, radio, film and textual studies, said that Black hairstyles are only received positively when the person wearing them meets Eurocentric beauty standards; meaning, they look white.

“I instantly think of both the Kardashians and the appropriation of historically black and black cultural styles and protective styles,” said Ubogu. 

How does this cultural appropriation harm the Black community?

“It's wildly inappropriate to take something that has so much trauma and so much history surrounded by it and then have the media spin it into something more lighthearted,” said Ubogu.

Ubogu also finds the financial impact upsetting. 

“This is the livelihood of so many individuals… I know people who on the side, or as one of their fundamental jobs, they braid hair,” said Ubogu.

What changes should the media make to be more culturally mindful?

“Ultimately, the problem here is that media industries are still heavily white-dominated, so there aren’t diverse voices and perspectives at the table when decisions are being made,” said Brown. “Or, there are one or two diverse points of view but not enough to carry cultural authority in those white spaces.”

Ubogu touches on the media’s lack of accurate representation, glorifying white women in braids, while looking down on Black women with the same style.

“There’s a double standard because constantly we are told that locks are not professional and braids are not professional,” Ubogu said.