The image of three generations of women braiding each other’s hair represents heritage,
legacy, and survival. In discussing the center positioning of the braiding women,
muralist Anna Francella Rodriguez explains that the art of braiding hair, “its impact
and its importance transcends the [African] diaspora”, finding reflection in the indigenous
cultures of the Americas as well. Enslaved Africans would carry rice, grains, and
other seeds in their braided hairstyles to nourish themselves on the horrific trans-Atlantic
journey and to plant in the new land they would inhabit.
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