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How the Durag Became a Political Statement
The case for why this much-maligned style accessory deserves our admiration
The durag is an easily recognizable piece of cultural iconography in the Black community. For men, it serves as a tool to keep their waves on point; for women, it’s the solution to flyaway baby hairs and moisture loss, preserving our hairstyles as we go about our week. Despite its often negative and somewhat derogatory depictions in mainstream media, the durag is more than a physical garment with a functional use. Now more than ever, Black women are reclaiming it as both a fashion and political statement.
We can anecdotally trace the durag back to the early 19th century, when slaves used scarf material to tie their hair back while working. More recently, the look became widely popular in the 1990s and early 2000s as rappers wore them publicly like Cam’ron, who sported a pink durag under a pink bucket hat while performing in the Rap City basement. 50 Cent, Nelly, and Jay-Z also popularized the look, which took on a personality beyond preserving hairstyles to represent a shared experience of Blackness.
Black women have used durags not only as fashion accessories but also as catalysts for social discourse.
