All about men

Barber Markius Freeman, 30, has been growing his dreads for 4 years and he's not about to cut them.

"Cutting them would be like cutting yourself short," he said. "It would be like a sacrifice. It would have to be very, very, important to me, like a job."

While Freeman of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has kept the same style for years, Tartra Plummer, of Lauderhill, Fla., changes her hairstyle every two weeks. The 30-year-old cashier emerged from the salon recently sporting ridges done with a hot iron, a creation by her stylist, Tracey Irvin.

Both are examples of the power of hair in the black community, where styles are a complex and constantly evolving reflection of cultural and political values -- and fashion.

Black Americans spent $3.9 billion in 2007 on hair care products and services, according to Ken Smikle, president of Target Market News, a Chicago-based black consumer tracking firm.

No other community debates the quality and texture of hair, and goes as far as designating hair as "good" because it's straight, and "bad" when it's kinky, coarse and nappy.

Regina Kimball, a Los Angeles filmmaker, has documented the politics of black hair from its ancient African roots to today's hip-hop designs in her film "My Nappy Roots: A Journey Through My Hair-itage."

The 78-minute film uses black hair to explore cultural, societal, and political issues in the black community over time. The film reveals the significance and pride of African hairstyles, such as cornrows and braiding.

These days, stylists say anything goes with black hairstyles for men and women. Natural hairstyles, dreadlocks, Afros, permed styles, bobs, weaves, extensions, even mullets, fades and Mohawks.

Kevin Donjoie wears what he calls "a 'fro Mohawk," inspired by Mr. T.

"You've got to be a little different to pull it off," said Denjoie, 31, of Ft. Lauderdale. "There's a very wide range of hairstyles now. Afros, dreads, brush cuts, designs -- and the girls have plenty of styles. Too many of them I can't name."

Theresa Lewis, a hairdresser in West Palm Beach, Fla., said the most popular styles these days are ones that are easy to maintain: nice short cuts or natural hairstyles or braids and weaves that are not time-consuming to care for.

Christy Lubin, a graduate student at Nova Southeastern University, prefers a "wash and wear" natural style. Her hair is puffy and she's received some criticism from other students, who have told her she has bad hair. "No perm," she says. "This is my true beauty."

Lewis has been doing the hair of Anna Rosier, a speech language pathologist from Boynton Beach, Fla., for more than 20 years.

"When you find a hairdresser you trust, you stick with her," Rosier said.

Last week, Lewis gave Rosier a short cut that wrapped her face, with loose curls hanging down her neck. It's a professional look that fits her life, Rosier said.

Yolle-Guida Dervil wears her hair in natural short box-cut braids. She is what many call tender-headed, and used to cry in pain when her mother combed her hair.

Frustrated, her mother got her a perm. Her father was furious. Now, a decade later, he disapproves of his daughter's braids.

"My dad has a problem with natural hair," Dervil said. "He considers it unprofessional."

But she likes her hair natural. "I'm either confident or brave," she said. "I've found comfort in it."

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