When I was a student in junior high school in Rocky Mount, North Carolina I had one of the largest Afro hairstyles in the student body. My Afro was so big and beautiful that Michael Jackson would have been envious. My parents at first did not approve of my Afro, but later gave in to my wishes.

Today, Debra and I are experiencing some of the same reservations that my parents experienced in the seventies when I decided that I wanted to wear an Afro. We are very steadfast against our kids wearing pants beneath their waist, earrings in their ear, tongue, nose or navel. We are steadfast against dreadlocks or twist. We really never gave much thought to the Afro. We thought it was gone forever.

One Saturday morning I woke Greg Jr. and Christopher up to go to Cook's Barbershop to get their haircut. They informed me that they were not interested in getting a haircut. They had decided that they wanted to grow an Afro. Greg Jr. said that it was his head and he wanted some input about the hairstyle that he would wear. Christopher was just as adamant about growing an Afro.

Debra and I have always encouraged our children not to use as mentors, rappers, movie stars or athletes.

We were at a lost as to why they insisted on this new style that as far as we were concerned was out of style. We eventually sent them to their maternal grand parent's home hoping that they would convince them that they needed to cut their hair. My parents wanted them to get their haircut, but had simply thrown in the towel.

When Mrs. Thomas (G-Mamma) told them that they would have to get a haircut, Christopher looked G-Mamma in the eye and said, "You can't do that!" When she told me what he had said I decided then that I needed to put my foot down and take them to Cook's Barbershop and get their haircut.

We had a family meeting and I told Greg Jr. and Christopher that they would have to cut their hair. I told them that it would hinder them from advancing in life to look so different from people in the mainstream. They both listened patiently as I lectured them about why the Afro had to go.

When I finished Christopher climbed into my lap and said, "Daddy are you finished?" I said, "Yes", believing that I had won this argument. Christopher said, "Daddy, I have only one thing to say before you take me to Cook's to get my Afro cut." I was perplexed as to what he could possibly say to convince us to give up on our decision to cut their hair.

Christopher said, "Dad, sit down." "Have you seen Judge Price or Mr. Michael Briddel?" They are two people that you are always praising as people that we should model ourselves after. If they can wear an Afro why can't we?

Today, Christopher is the only student in his class with an Afro. Greg Jr. is one of the few students in his school with an Afro. So I have concluded that the Afro is back at least in my household! What can I possibly say?

Greg Griffin is a freelance writer. You can read his previous articles by logging on to his web page at www.greggriffin.com

Contact Greg at: denzel2890@charter.net

© August 2005 by Afromerica