Crowned in confidence – Black hair, identity, and pride

Written by Liz Pemberton, the award-winning director of The Black Nursery Manager Ltd. Her mission is to transform early childhood education by embedding inclusive, anti-racist principles into practice, policy, and pedagogy.

We have reached the fourth and final article in this series for Black History Month and I really hope that you’ve enjoyed reading them as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.

We started with how you can centre the rich histories of Black people through storytelling and making sure that Black children feel seen in the books that you choose to read. We then explored the power of dance, music and joyful expression (I hope that you’ve built on that playlist I started and have been moving and shaking with your children!). Last week the focus was on the pride in African and Caribbean cuisine and how we become connected through our food across the range of cultures within the Black diaspora. And for our final stop the focus will be on the pride of Black hair for children.

Whether you are coming to this as someone who has had a wealth of experience with afro hair (because it’s on yours or your child’s head!) or as someone who has no idea about it at all, I hope that by the end of reading this you feel encouraged.

The politics of Black hair cannot be overstated and by that, I mean it is a feature that has long spoken powerfully against racist ideologies about beauty and professionalism. For generations, Eurocentric standards have positioned straight, smooth hair as “neat,” “acceptable,” and “professional,” while natural Black textures have been coded as “messy,” “unkempt,” or “unruly.” This has shaped not only how Black people are perceived, but also how they have been disciplined. From schools that have banned locs, braids, or Afros, to workplaces that have policed natural hair under the guise of dress codes.

In this context it’s crucial to recognise that for children whose roots trace to Africa or the Caribbean, their hair, its texture, its style and its care is intimately bound up with their emerging sense of self. The way in which their hair grows out of their scalp is deeply connected to their developing sense of self. When adults celebrate all textures, curl patterns and protective styles, they affirm that Black children are beautiful just as they are. Representation matters here too, so this is a perfect opportunity to think about the books in your home, the dolls your children play with, and the images they see. Make sure you are consciously selecting visuals that show children with Afros, twists, canerows, or locs to help normalise and to celebrate what has so often been stigmatised.

UK-based research and initiatives reinforce what many of us know intuitively: hair and hairstyle are deeply tied to a young Black child’s sense of self and belonging. For example, the Hair Equality Report 2019 by World Afro Day CIC notes that its findings apply to early years settings in England and the rest of the UK.

Meanwhile, the “Little Seeds” programme for 0-5s, launched in nurseries across the UK, uses joyful hair-celebration activities to empower children of all textures. (MadeForMums )

In our homes and play-spaces, small inclusive practices can reinforce powerful messages about identity. One idea I’ve used is a “sand-hat” (a children’s shower cap repurposed for sand play). When every child wears it, not just those with tightly-coiled or braided hair, we send a simple but strong signal: your texture, your style, your hair belong here. It’s not about adjusting for those who look different; it’s about embedding the understanding that all hair is part of the story. And when children carry that message into how they see themselves, we nurture a confident sense of self rooted in pride.

With this inclusive mindset as our starting point, let’s turn to practical ways that you as a parent can celebrate your child’s hair, identity and pride at home.

What families can do at home:

Representation and visuals:

• Ensure your child’s toys and reading materials include children with varied hair textures: Afros, braids, twists, locs.
• Use mirrors together: ask your child about how their hair feels, what its texture is like, how they like to wear it. These discussions normalise difference.

Routine and ritual:

• Use hair-care time as a moment of connection: “Let’s talk about your hair today - how do you want to wear it? What makes you feel proud?”
• Consider protective styles you’re comfortable with and that your child likes and allow your child to participate in choosing styles where possible.

Inclusive play & sensory awareness:

• For messy or outdoor play (sand, water), consider suggesting to your child’s nursery that they use a repurposed shower cap for children to act as a “sand-hat”.
• For children with sensory sensitivities: use gentle cleanses after sand play and invite your child’s feedback: let them say or indicate what feels comfortable.

Affirmation & language:

• Use positive language around hair: “Your curls are strong,” “Your braids are beautiful,” “Your hair tells a story.”
• Share books and stories about hair and identity. Encourage your child to reflect: “Whose hair do you see? How is it different or similar to yours?”
• Celebrate their hair as part of pride and heritage, not just a grooming routine.

From the tiny grains of sand that ask us to protect our curls to the shining braid that tells of heritage and creative style, hair is more than hair for Black children. It carries identity, it holds heritage, and it demands acknowledgement. When we talk about hair openly, include hair in play, celebrate every texture in visuals and ritual, we are saying:

You belong. Your hair belongs. You are worthy.

For children, this is building confidence, pride and a foundation of belonging.

Thank you for taking this journey with me this Black History Month. As we stand firm in power and pride, let’s crown our children in confidence not just with styles, but with words, actions and affirmations that reflect their beauty, heritage and strength.

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