No Lye

The documentary No Lye provides a chronological overview of the African American hair care industry from its inception through contemporary times. It begins with early filmic representations of negative images of African Americans that surfaced in the public imaginary in the postemancipation era. These representations made African Americans want to alter their image, define themselves for themselves, and defy the derogatory and perfunctory images that persisted in the public culture. Out of these early unappealing representations African Americans sought to rectify their disparaging images and fabricate ones they found appealing and worthy of public consumption. They attempted to achieve this through the development of hair care products. In documenting the history of the hair care industry, No Lye employs a multifarious approach that involves noting a range of social and political developments that affected the industry; exploring the economic gains and losses the industry endured; and examining the predominating influences in popular culture such as music and cinematic representations that influenced the emergence of certain hair care products and styles, all the while profiling prominent figures within the black hair care industry who became entrepreneurs, businesswomen and businessmen, as well as black scientists who contributed to the formation of the industry. Due to the significance of the black hair care industry within the African American community, this documentary also explores trends in the entertainment industry and black publications that advertised many of these products to demonstrate how these sources participated in shaping the black hair care industry

Aesthetics · African american · Art · Art history · Beauty · Consumption (sociology · Cosmetic industry · Cosmetics · Culture industry · Entertainment · Entertainment industry · Film industry · Hair care · Media studies · Political science · Politics · Popular culture · Social science · Sociology · Anthropology · History · Law · Medicine · Race, History, and American Society