I thought that Bob Marley's song "Natty Dread" was all about people being afraid of Black people who wore their hair naturally.

I figured I knew what dreadlocks were. I've never worn locs, but I know men and women who have. Some consider dreadlocks as just a hairstyle. I consider locks as more than that.

In my opinion, those Black people who wear their hair this way are demonstrating that they reject centuries of Western socialization that told us in myriad uncompromising ways that there is something inherently 'bad' about "Black" hair. But those Black people who wear their hair in dreadlocks, or 'fros or cornbraids, or twists, or other chemical free hair styles demonstrate an acceptance of and a pride in their naturally tightly curled, frizzy, kinky, nappy hair.

I know what dreads are. But I'm not sure how that word came to be used for this hair style that many erroneously associate with Rastafarians from Jamaica or elsewhere.

And I figured that I knew what Bob Marley and his group were singing about when they said "natty dreads". I thought that natty was a Jamaican way of saying 'nappy'.

I was wrong.

Check out what I found out in my subsequent posts.

Feel free to join in this presentation of information-and hopefully a discussion of ideas & opinions- of the social meanings of nappy, natty, dread, 'fro, and more.

Add some songs lyrics and posts about the subject of natty nappy hair styles and life styles if you'd like.

I'd like that.