Fros, Fades, and Braids by Sean Qualls

Fros, Fades, and Braids

A Brief History of Black Hair in America

Sean Qualls

HarperCollins · Print & ebook · January 20, 2026

From Coretta Scott King Honor illustrator Sean Qualls, artist for Questlove’s The Idea In You, comes a hip, brief history of the most well-known Black hairstyles and the famous innovators behind them, reminding us of the strength and stature of Black hair and its prominence in hair history.

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Who it’s for
A brief history of Black hairstyles, the people behind them, and their place in hair history.
Themes
Black hair history, Cultural meanings of hairstyles, Hair care and social movements
Genres
African American Life (U.S.), Kids Fashion, Customs & Traditions

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About this book

From Coretta Scott King Honor illustrator Sean Qualls, artist for Questlove’s The Idea In You, comes a hip, brief history of the most well-known Black hairstyles and the famous innovators behind them, reminding us of the strength and stature of Black hair and its prominence in hair history. "Qualls has crafted a visually stunning book about the histories and cultural meanings of Black hairstyles in the United States...

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A beautiful and inspirational book that blends art and informational text to create a visually stunning, accessible history of Black hair." — School Library Journal (starred review) Hair—that wavy, wooly, curly, and knotty stuff. Ever since Madam CJ Walker created some of the first Black hair care products, styles like the juicy jheri curl, buzzing beehive, and the fresh fades and braids we know and love today have cemented their coily, curly, and rightful place in hair history. However, Black hair has a rich and detailed past that not many may be aware of, that is, until now. From Coretta Scott King Honor illustrator Sean Qualls comes a vibrant, captivating, and hip, brief history of the most well-known Black hairstyles, the people who made those one-of-a-kind styles look and feel so good, and the revolutionary hair care products and movements that would influence each generation, reminding us that Black hair may change, but it will never cease to leave its mark on the world.

Black Hair History

A brief history of Black hairstyles, the people behind them, and their place in hair history.

Come here for

  • The people behind familiar Black hairstyles
  • Hair-care products and movements that shaped each generation

Expect

  • Black hairstyles including the jheri curl, beehive, fades, and braids
  • A look at hair-care products and movements across generations

Where it sits

African American Life (U.S.)47%
Kids Fashion31%
Customs & Traditions26%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Kids Fashion
  • Books for Boys
  • African American Life (U.S.)
  • Family Life
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • Girls & Young Women
  • Personal Hygiene
  • Customs & Traditions
  • Emotions
Authors
Sean Qualls
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
January 20, 2026
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Black hair history · Cultural meanings of hairstyles · Hair care and social movements
Reading lane
Kids Fashion