A new documentary stirs up a rat’s nest
By James Clingman
Of the NNPA
Now that an investigative documentary – Black Hair, directed by Aron Ranen – has been produced about the black hair care industry, shocking black people once again, maybe some of us will resolve to do something to reclaim at least a portion of that vertical market. After all, the last time I checked, no one is using black hair care products except black folks.
The documentary discloses information, none of which was news to industry insiders, about the ownership of stores and distribution of hair products sought and bought by black people. The main point of the report centered on the fact that Koreans own and control the overwhelming majority of the distribution and sale of black hair care products, which includes shampoos, conditioners, oils and creams, and those fashionable hairpieces our sisters love to wear.
Some black folks have seen this coming since the 1980s, in light of the infamous but prophetic comments by then Revlon executive, Irving Bottner, and the subsequent “funeral” and boycott of Revlon Products headed by Jesse Jackson. Man, where is Jesse now?
Nevertheless, as we looked on and even collaborated in the demise of black control of an industry that brags about Madame Walker, Annie Turnbo-Malone, Anthony Overton and S.B. Fuller, the Koreans have built their businesses and created wealth for their families.
We now have a relatively new organization, BOBSA, the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association (see bobsa.org or call 650/357-0073). If black people are serious about slowing down the Korean Black Hair Care Express and revving up an economic engine of our own, we had better get busy buying from one another, expanding the black channels of distribution we already have and creating investment pools to build warehouses and wholesale facilities.
BOBSA is advocating for those changes and more, but it needs help from you, the consumer, on two fronts. BOBSA needs you to become a working member and supporter, and it needs you to commit to redirecting your spending. In addition, if you are serious, you should locate every black hair care products store in your area and ask the owners to support BOBSA by becoming members. From that effort, a nationwide database can be developed and posted on BOBSA’s website.
Do everything it takes to hold on to what is probably the last vestige of an industry developed and maintained by black people.
Nothing against the Koreans for taking care of their business and beating us out of our own game, but are they really that much smarter than we are? Are they more capable of running this industry than we are? Are they that much better at marketing to our people than we are? Do they have more money than we do? Or do they use their money collectively to help their group a lot more than we do?
We can come up with all the excuses and reasons for being behind in a race that only black people ran in for years, but we cannot truthfully say that we are consciously disturbed enough, collective enough in our thinking, and willing to make the sacrifices necessary to do what other groups do to build their wealth.
I end with this challenge. Make a commitment and then follow through on that commitment to purchase black-manufactured hair care products from black-owned outlets. Don’t envy the hair that Brandy wears; buy your own, from your own.
To see Black Hair online, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT-nX25UrsI&search=blackhair. To order it on DVD, call: Third Wave Media at (415) 810-5934 or visit www.blackhairdvd.com.
