Durag

Spelling and etymology

Numerous alternative spellings exist for durag, including do-rag, dew-rag, and doo-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 for do-rag is that it is named as such because it is a rag worn to protect one's hairdo. An alternative etymology claims that name should be spelled dew-rag, and dew is a euphemism for sweat.

Early usage

The Oxford English Dictionary dates the first published usage of "do-rag" to the 1964 Facing Reality pamphlet Negro Americans take the Lead, written by Martin Glaberman. The pamphlet noted that in the wake of the 1963 Detroit 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."

Other early published usages include:

• In the August 27, 1965, edition of LIFE magazine, a page 22 photo caption describes a man wearing a do-rag' on his new hair-do".
• On June 4, 1966, the Akron Beacon Journal printed "do rag ... a cloth band worn around the forehead as a sweatband or to keep hair in place".
• On September 2, 1966, the Dayton Daily News printed "the man with the black dew rag... one with the black bandana".
• In late 1966, "do rag ... processed hair done up in black rags" appeared in Newsweek.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary places the earliest usage of do-rag in 1968.

History

During the Black Pride movement of the 1960s and '70s, durags became a fashion statement. In the 1990s, durags were further popularized by rappers like Jay-Z, Nelly, and 50 Cent. The popularity of rappers such as A$AP Ferg and the waves hairstyle have re-popularized the use of durags.

In popular culture

The 1974 song "Uncle Remus," cowritten by Frank Zappa and George Duke, includes the lyric, "I can't wait till my Fro is full-grown / I'll just throw 'way my Doo-Rag at home."{{cite web

American singer and bassist Thundercat's album It 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 cartoon Dragon Ball.

Rapper Royce da 5'9" has a song on the 2020 album The Allegory entitled "Rhinestone Doo Rag".

Rihanna wore a durag on the cover of the British Vogue, which marked a milestone of durags as seen as a fashion symbol.

The character of Leon Black on Curb Your Enthusiasm is famous for wearing his durag on the show.

In 2021, contestant Symone wore an outfit with a durag, which extended to a train, on the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.

The rapper Baby Keem, with a feature from Travis Scott, released a single in 2021 with the name "durag activity".

Kvarforth, frontman of the Swedish depressive suicidal black metal band Shining, is known to wear a durag as part of his onstage look, in contrast to the corpse paint traditionally synonymous with black metal.

Bans and controversy

In 1995, the National Football League (NFL) considered banning players from wearing "bandanas, known as do-rags." League executive Gene Washington said durags were associated with crime and gang violence but insisted that the idea was "driven largely by black people, not white people." Safety Merton 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. 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, including Denny Green. Some players argued unsuccessfully that wearing durags under helmets helped them prevent hair loss.

During a preseason game in 2000, the National Basketball Association (NBA) told Indiana Pacers player Sam Perkins that he could not wear a durag because it was "a safety hazard." In October 2005, the NBA issued a dress code which, among other changes, forbade players from wearing durags not just on the court but while engaged in any manner of team or league business.

Some United States high schools have attempted to ban the wearing of durags. When John Muir High School in Pasadena, California, banned durags as part of a school dress-code policy, the Black Student Union staged a peaceful walk-out in February 2019. Protesting students contended that school administrators banned the headwear because of its affiliation with gang culture, although the principal claimed that durags were banned because "of values we have for how we present ourselves at school".

References

References

1. Tom Dalzell. (2009). "The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English". Routledge.
2. Preston, Dennis R.. (23 March 2005). "Do-Rag (1966)".
3. {{cite OED. do-rag. 9165380679
4. Glaberman, Martin. (September 1964). "Negro Americans take the Lead". [[Facing Reality]].
5. (27 August 1965). "Out of the Cauldron of Hate - Arson and Death".
6. (4 June 1966). "The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio on June 4, 1966 · Page 37".
7. (2 September 1966). "Dayton Daily News from Dayton, Ohio on September 2, 1966 · 4".
8. "Definition of DO-RAG".
9. (2020). "Nevertheless, She Wore It: 50 Iconic Fashion Moments". Chronicle Books LLC.
10. Dawson, Lamar. (6 April 2018). "How to Tie a Durag, According to A$AP Ferg".
11. (February 2024). "Dragon Ball Durag Lyrics".
12. (21 February 2020). "Royce Da 5'9" – 'The Allegory' review: a lesson in lyricism with wise words from Eminem and lesser-known talents".
13. (2020-03-31). "Rihanna makes history: 'Did I ever imagine that I would see a durag on the cover of Vogue?'".
14. "Is Leon Black on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" The Most Influential Durag Ambassador on TV?".
15. (June 5, 2021). "Symone Is a Love Letter to Blackness and Queerness".
16. (May 23, 1995). "The idea of an NFL ban on bandanas isn't sitting well with some players". AP News.
17. (April 3, 2001). "NFL to players . . . dump the do-rags". [[Chicago Tribune]].
18. (4 April 2001). "On Pro Football; Blacks at Center Stage in Rancorous Debate on Headgear". [[The New York Times]].
19. (October 17, 2000). "League notes". [[Sports Business Journal]].
20. (18 October 2005). "Do-rags done for in NBA code". [[The Globe and Mail]].
21. (13 December 2018). "Du-Rag Controversy Resolved". The Raider Voice.
22. (20 July 2018). "A Charter School's Explanation for Banning Durags Is Worse Than the Ban".
23. Kenney, Tanasia. (26 February 2019). "California High School Students Stage Mass Walkout Over Policy Banning Durags".