2003.79.1

The Afro pick, is black, with a fist clenched in the Black Power sign as the handle. The wrapping is orange, with the image of an Afican American man, with an Afro hair style. The type is black, and includes the manufacturers name and symbol, as well as the following: Natural Afro New Nylon both surrounding the pick.

Jesse Jackson, Reggie Jackson, Michael Jackson. Besides being large media icons in the 1970's, they also were noted for the fashion statement they wore everyday .... the afro. Some wore it simply as a fashion statement (such as Sly Stone) while others, like Angela Davis, wore it as part of a statement of their political stance on world issues. As a part of the Black consciousness movement, the hairstyle symbolized a shift away from the "conservative" peace movement of the civil rights era to the more aggressive, militant expression of Black power. It was also a statment of being comfortable and proud of African roots, sometimes nicknamed the Natural, wearing the afro you were emminating the popular term: "Black is Beautiful" whereas getting a straightening perm defied the ideals of the Black Power Movement.