Locs from the very beginning, have always been a symbol of strength, knowledge, resilience, power, and self expression. From earliest recording in 500 BCE worn by Ethiopian priests to now Locs are worn by Scholars, professionals, and citizens alike. Becoming a symbol of resistance to the anti-black beauty standards, political and corporate injustices.
” Locs represent the journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, reminding us that we are ever evolving beings” – UNKNOWN
The 1930s were the start of a revolution for our Rastafarian brothers and sisters. Rastafarianism; Locs were how they fought Eurocentrism (British colonial culture). The more hair you grew, equated to the amount of strength one possessed (Think Samson). Striving to resemble “The Lion of Judah”.
The hairstyle gained popularity in the United States during the mid 1960s as part of the Black Power movement, where it was seen as a symbol of defiance and pride. The middle to late 1960s, politics were beginning to influence hairstyles, and the “natural” hair. The Black Is Beautiful and Black Power movements sprung to life.