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 American rapperSlim Thug wearing a durag | |
| Type | Cap |
|---|---|
| Material | silk, satin, polyester, and cotton. |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Introduced | 20th century |
Adurag (alternate spellings) is a close-fitting cloth tied around the top of the head to protect the hair; similarly awave cap is a close-fittingcap for the same purpose.[1] Durags may be worn to accelerate the development of long curly/kinky hair,waves orlocks in the hair;[2] to maintain natural oils in hair (similar to abonnet); to stop hair breakage; to manage hair in general; or to keep hair, wave patterns and braids from shifting while sleeping. Durags are also worn as an identity-making fashion choice, popular inBlack culture andAfrican-American culture.
Numerous alternative spellings exist fordurag, includingdo-rag,dew-rag, anddoo-rag, all of which may be spelled with a space instead of a hyphen, or with neither a hyphen nor a space. The simplest etymology fordo-rag is that it is named as such because it is arag worn to protect one's hairdo. An alternative etymology claims that name should be spelleddew-rag, anddew is a euphemism for sweat.[3]
TheOxford English Dictionary dates the first published usage of "do-rag" to the 1964Facing Reality pamphletNegro Americans take the Lead,[4] written byMartin Glaberman. The pamphlet noted that in the wake of the 1963Detroit Walk to Freedom, "the leading local newspaper announced it would feature a one-a-week column by a prominent local Negro. Trying to be a laborer worthy of his hire, the prominent local figure wrote a column denouncing 'do-rags.' The common habit of wearing a silk stocking over the head, presumably to protect the setting, aroused his ire."[5]
Other early published usages include:
TheMerriam-Webster online dictionary places the earliest usage ofdo-rag in 1968.[1]
During theBlack Pride movement of the 1960s and '70s, durags became a fashion statement.[10] In the 1990s, durags were further popularized by rappers likeJay-Z,Nelly, and50 Cent.[10] The popularity of rappers such asA$AP Ferg[11] and thewaves hairstyle have re-popularized the use of durags.[citation needed]
The 1974 song "Uncle Remus," cowritten byFrank Zappa andGeorge Duke, includes the lyric, "I can't wait till myFro is full-grown / I'll just throw 'way my Doo-Rag at home."[12]
American singer and bassistThundercat's albumIt Is What It Is features the song entitled "Dragonball Durag". The lyrics references the headwear as the title piece to impress women. The durag referenced has a pattern taken from popular Japanese television cartoonDragon Ball.[13]
RapperRoyce da 5'9" has a song on the 2020 albumThe Allegory entitled "Rhinestone Doo Rag".[14]
Rihanna wore a durag on the cover of theBritishVogue, which marked a milestone of durags as seen as a fashion symbol.[15]
The character of Leon Black onCurb Your Enthusiasm is famous for wearing his durag on the show.[16]
In 2021, contestantSymone wore an outfit with a durag, which extended to atrain, on thethirteenth season ofRuPaul's Drag Race.[17]
The rapperBaby Keem, with a feature fromTravis Scott, released a single in 2021 with the name "durag activity".
Kvarforth, frontman of the Swedish depressive suicidal black metal bandShining, is known to wear a durag as part of his onstage look, in contrast to thecorpse paint traditionally synonymous withblack metal.[citation needed]
In 1995, theNational Football League (NFL) considered banning players from wearing "bandanas, known as do-rags." League executiveGene Washington said durags were associated with crime andgang violence but insisted that the idea was "driven largely by black people, not white people."SafetyMerton Hanks said that he wore one because it made his helmet fit better and was therefore akin to safety equipment. Ultimately, the league decided to take no action.[18] In 2001, however, the league owners voted 30–1 to ban players from wearing all headwear under helmets except for "skull caps" in what the league claimed was "a matter of image." Although there were concerns that the move may have been racially biased, the league again framed the ban as being originated by black members of their competition committee, includingDenny Green.[19][20] Some players argued unsuccessfully that wearing durags under helmets helped them preventhair loss.[19]
During a preseason game in 2000, theNational Basketball Association (NBA) toldIndiana Pacers playerSam Perkins that he could not wear a durag because it was "a safety hazard."[21] In October 2005, the NBA issueda dress code which, among other changes, forbade players from wearing durags not just on thecourt but while engaged in any manner of team or league business.[22]
Some United States high schools have attempted to ban the wearing of durags.[23][24] WhenJohn Muir High School inPasadena, California, banned durags as part of a school dress-code policy, the Black Student Union staged a peaceful walk-out in February 2019.[25] Protesting students contended that school administrators banned the headwear because of its affiliation withgang culture, although the principal claimed that durags were banned because "of values we have for how we present ourselves at school".[25]
Media related toPeople wearing durags at Wikimedia Commons