http://www.blackpress.org/dreads.htm
“I never wanted my hairstyle to become an issue like it has become,” said Mashaun D. Simon, 27, a student representative to the National Association of Black Journalists board and junior at Georgia State University.
During an interview with Black Press Magazine, Simon says he was told to cut his dreadlocks if he wanted to retain his internship at Black Enterprise, one of the nation's largest African American magazines. But instead of losing the internship, Simon complied with their wishes. He insists that growing his dreads was merely an act of experimentation rather than of spiritual symbolism.
“My dreads were a hairstyle that myself and a group of friends were embarking on together,” he said. “My decision to cut my dreads was a personal decision so that I could complete my summer internship. I did not want or need for them to continue to be the distraction they were becoming."
The issue has caused a storm of communication among mainstream and minority media professionals since Black Enterprise's publisher is also the author the book, How to Succeed in Business Without Being White, and has long been considered an icon for Black pride. He is respected by both Corporate America and Black America but it is believed that his actions will set back diversity.
The incident is reminiscent of an 1994 episode of the hit sitcom "Living Single" where Kyle Barker is told by Lawerence - his Black co-worker - that the firm is concerned about choosing Kyle as a representative because his hair isn't "corporate" enough. In the show, Kyle didn’t want to shorten his career, so he considered a haircut. After deep contemplation, Kyle informed his bosses that his hair was a symbol of pride in his African roots. Later Kyle learned that only his Black co-worker was worried about his hair and his White managers valued his work over his hairstyle.
With similar situations occurring, many in the journalism professionals are wondering if the same stereotypes and double standards exist in 2006, an entire decade later.
"Earl Graves is clearly a leader in our community and one of my favorite editorial heroes, but at a time when newsroom diversity is so low and after the coverage of Hurricane Katrina, the Black Press cannot afford to allow these type of incidents to go unnoticed," said DC Livers, managing editor for the Historical Black Press Foundation. "There are over 13,000 White newsroom managers and about 500 Black newsroom managers in American journalism. Who's to say that Mashaun Simon couldn't become number 501. He deserves a chance regardless of his choice of hairstyle." Livers said.
During an interview with Journal-isms in the (June 23, “Dreadlocks Don’t Make the Cut"), Simon went on to say, “I am thankful to be here and blessed to have been chosen out of the many who wanted to be here. And so I am very comfortable with the choice I made in cutting my hair…however, at the end of the day I have to think about what is best for me and my still infant journalism career and govern myself accordingly. I have made that decision and stand by it.” Recently, Richard Prince, editor of Journal-isms published a follow-up article on the subject that included comments from some off the top editors in the country speaking out against Black Enterprise’s hair policy.
What Simon did was bold and gained much needed publicity because ethnic expression should not need to be suppressed to be successful .Though Simon had every right to cut his hair by choice, the problem is not in his decision; it is in the ultimatum he received that led to his decision.
”Today, the “corporate look” isn’t at all what it used to be a decade ago when noses were still turned up at women who wore dress pants to an interview," Black Enterprise founder Earl G. Graves wrote to his staff in a memo. "Traditional style codes put Black people in better career positions. “…too often those who want to make the most radical departures are those who are the most poorly positioned, in terms of career survival and advancement, to do so: young, inexperienced black professionals who are in the vulnerable stages of their careers. It’s the equivalent of an unproven third year player trying to enjoy the privileges accorded a 10-mile All-Star,” Graves wrote.
Would the magazine's policy been applied if Simon had a spiritual connection with his locks and decided to keep them? It could be viewed as biased and hypocritical for Black Enterprise to stunt a young Black man’s growth, a reoccurring issue the editors speak about in the publication. What’s even more unsettling about Graves' comment and the values of Black Enterprise is that other non-Bblack publications claim to handle dress codes differently.
Unfortunately, Black Enterprise's top editors did not agree.
"We must remove every reason--including things as superficial as our style of hair or dress--that a job candidate and even a co-worker might have for not wanting to do business with us," Graves wrote in the memo.
Susan Taylor Chastises Hampton University's Anti-Braid Policy
Susan Taylor backed out of a Hampton University event due to its anti-braids policyIn March 2006, Hampton University a member of the coveted Historically Black Colleges and University community, also found itself in the spotlight for a similar issue for requirements of conservative hairstyles in its business school. Even some of the classes at Hampton restrict students from sitting in the front rows if they choose to wear ethnic hairstyles.
Former Essence magazine editor Susan Taylor pulled her appearance from a Hampton event when she learned of the anti-braid and anti-deadlock policy. Taylor has wore her hair in braids for over 25 years took offense to the policy and issue a damning statement.
During a phone interview with Black Press Magazine, Hampton University's Business Dean Sid Credle said he is favorable of the "conservative hairstyle codes and said a more clean-cut look will benefit students in the future. "
"This is a type of discrimination that makes me wonder if Tom Joyner should continue to include Hampton University in his national HBCU push to give scholarship drive," said Livers. "We cannot continue to be expected to send our hard earned funds to schools like Hampton University who use legalized reverse discrimination."
Ultimately, assuming a lack of quality because of someone’s appearance is not a sufficient method of judging a person’s ability to do the job. If Simon walked into Black Enterprise with matted, dirty dreadlocks, that would have made a completely different article because then the circumstances would be switched.
“I never wanted my hairstyle to become an issue like it has become,” said Mashaun D. Simon, 27, a student representative to the National Association of Black Journalists board and junior at Georgia State University.
During an interview with Black Press Magazine, Simon says he was told to cut his dreadlocks if he wanted to retain his internship at Black Enterprise, one of the nation's largest African American magazines. But instead of losing the internship, Simon complied with their wishes. He insists that growing his dreads was merely an act of experimentation rather than of spiritual symbolism.
“My dreads were a hairstyle that myself and a group of friends were embarking on together,” he said. “My decision to cut my dreads was a personal decision so that I could complete my summer internship. I did not want or need for them to continue to be the distraction they were becoming."
The issue has caused a storm of communication among mainstream and minority media professionals since Black Enterprise's publisher is also the author the book, How to Succeed in Business Without Being White, and has long been considered an icon for Black pride. He is respected by both Corporate America and Black America but it is believed that his actions will set back diversity.
The incident is reminiscent of an 1994 episode of the hit sitcom "Living Single" where Kyle Barker is told by Lawerence - his Black co-worker - that the firm is concerned about choosing Kyle as a representative because his hair isn't "corporate" enough. In the show, Kyle didn’t want to shorten his career, so he considered a haircut. After deep contemplation, Kyle informed his bosses that his hair was a symbol of pride in his African roots. Later Kyle learned that only his Black co-worker was worried about his hair and his White managers valued his work over his hairstyle.
With similar situations occurring, many in the journalism professionals are wondering if the same stereotypes and double standards exist in 2006, an entire decade later.
"Earl Graves is clearly a leader in our community and one of my favorite editorial heroes, but at a time when newsroom diversity is so low and after the coverage of Hurricane Katrina, the Black Press cannot afford to allow these type of incidents to go unnoticed," said DC Livers, managing editor for the Historical Black Press Foundation. "There are over 13,000 White newsroom managers and about 500 Black newsroom managers in American journalism. Who's to say that Mashaun Simon couldn't become number 501. He deserves a chance regardless of his choice of hairstyle." Livers said.
During an interview with Journal-isms in the (June 23, “Dreadlocks Don’t Make the Cut"), Simon went on to say, “I am thankful to be here and blessed to have been chosen out of the many who wanted to be here. And so I am very comfortable with the choice I made in cutting my hair…however, at the end of the day I have to think about what is best for me and my still infant journalism career and govern myself accordingly. I have made that decision and stand by it.” Recently, Richard Prince, editor of Journal-isms published a follow-up article on the subject that included comments from some off the top editors in the country speaking out against Black Enterprise’s hair policy.
What Simon did was bold and gained much needed publicity because ethnic expression should not need to be suppressed to be successful .Though Simon had every right to cut his hair by choice, the problem is not in his decision; it is in the ultimatum he received that led to his decision.
”Today, the “corporate look” isn’t at all what it used to be a decade ago when noses were still turned up at women who wore dress pants to an interview," Black Enterprise founder Earl G. Graves wrote to his staff in a memo. "Traditional style codes put Black people in better career positions. “…too often those who want to make the most radical departures are those who are the most poorly positioned, in terms of career survival and advancement, to do so: young, inexperienced black professionals who are in the vulnerable stages of their careers. It’s the equivalent of an unproven third year player trying to enjoy the privileges accorded a 10-mile All-Star,” Graves wrote.
Would the magazine's policy been applied if Simon had a spiritual connection with his locks and decided to keep them? It could be viewed as biased and hypocritical for Black Enterprise to stunt a young Black man’s growth, a reoccurring issue the editors speak about in the publication. What’s even more unsettling about Graves' comment and the values of Black Enterprise is that other non-Bblack publications claim to handle dress codes differently.
Unfortunately, Black Enterprise's top editors did not agree.
"We must remove every reason--including things as superficial as our style of hair or dress--that a job candidate and even a co-worker might have for not wanting to do business with us," Graves wrote in the memo.
Susan Taylor Chastises Hampton University's Anti-Braid Policy
Susan Taylor backed out of a Hampton University event due to its anti-braids policyIn March 2006, Hampton University a member of the coveted Historically Black Colleges and University community, also found itself in the spotlight for a similar issue for requirements of conservative hairstyles in its business school. Even some of the classes at Hampton restrict students from sitting in the front rows if they choose to wear ethnic hairstyles.
Former Essence magazine editor Susan Taylor pulled her appearance from a Hampton event when she learned of the anti-braid and anti-deadlock policy. Taylor has wore her hair in braids for over 25 years took offense to the policy and issue a damning statement.
During a phone interview with Black Press Magazine, Hampton University's Business Dean Sid Credle said he is favorable of the "conservative hairstyle codes and said a more clean-cut look will benefit students in the future. "
"This is a type of discrimination that makes me wonder if Tom Joyner should continue to include Hampton University in his national HBCU push to give scholarship drive," said Livers. "We cannot continue to be expected to send our hard earned funds to schools like Hampton University who use legalized reverse discrimination."
Ultimately, assuming a lack of quality because of someone’s appearance is not a sufficient method of judging a person’s ability to do the job. If Simon walked into Black Enterprise with matted, dirty dreadlocks, that would have made a completely different article because then the circumstances would be switched.
