The Afro pick
An Afro pick is a grooming tool, resembling a comb, that is used to maintain the afro hairstyle. They come in different lengths, styles, and material such as nylon, plastic, or metal/stainless steel teeth. Most afro picks seen today come adorned with the Black power fist at the end of it and this is because the Afro pick is much more than just a grooming tool or adornment in hair, but is a political emblem and a collective identity.
The Afro pick went hand in hand with the Afro hairstyle which was a cultural movement that marked a return to a more natural, untreated hairstyles. The Afro became a powerful political symbol which reflected black pride and a rejection of notions of assimilation and integration. It was recognised as a way of saying no to oppression and "wearing the comb led to a kind of comradeship amongst those whose hair grows up and out, not down" (Heywood, 2013).
