Were Cornrows Used as Maps for Slaves?

Enslaved Africans also used cornrows to transfer and create maps to leave plantations and the home of their captors. This act of using hair as a tool for resistance is said to have been evident across South America.

What hairstyle did slaves have?

Hair during slavery

Their language was taken away and they were unable to identify with others from their tribe. Once their hair began to grow back, plaits, braids, and cornrows were the most convenient hairstyle for slaves to have their hair neat and maintained for a week.

What is the history of cornrows?

Cornrows dated far back to 3000 B.C., particularly in the Horn and West coasts of Africa. In the early 1500s, the style was used as a communication medium amongst various African societies that were later forced to migrate to the Americas as slaves, where their customs followed.