Hulu’s Onyx collective is releasing a new docuseries created by Michaela Angela Davis and executive produced by Davis, Oprah Winfrey, and Tracee Ellis Ross. Titled The Hair Tales, the six-episode series features Ross in conversation with Issa Rae, Marsai Martin, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, CHIKA, and Winfrey as they the stories of their lives through their hair and relay the shared experiences of finding their own style, strength, and confidence as Black women.
“I think this is always an important conversation,” Ross tells ESSENCE. “This show is an intimate and intentional discovery of the humanity of Black women told through the metaphor of hair. I believe hair is a portal into our souls and our intention was that this was a love letter to Black women.”
Though Black women are the focus of the docuseries, Ross insists the stories of identity, beauty, and humanity are universal. “I say that this is a show that is about Black women for everyone, in that it is an opportunity for us to gain context and connection,” she adds.
A residual effect of the natural hair movement in recent years has been Black women owning the right to wear their hair as they so choose, with more emphasis on whether one likes a particular style versus seeking a certain length or texture that’s been deemed suitable by the mainstream. Yet despite that inner work, stories routinely spread across social media of Black women being shamed or even turned away by beauticians when their hair doesn’t meet an arbitrary standard they’ve set in their salon.
Speaking to those experiences, Ross says, “So often we forget that our society and our culture has been selling us a lie about ourselves and particularly about our hair. Hair really is a portal into our souls and you’re in a sacred position when you’re the ones putting your hands in our hair, having your hands in our souls.
“The same way that your stylist might be the first person to know you’re getting a divorce or going through a breakup, or you’re engaged or got a new job, they also are that person that is with you in those intimate moments, as Ayanna shared when different moments are happening in our health and our hair is being affected. So, I think the idea that any salon expert remembers that they are a sacred person in their customer’s life will allow that relationship to have the depth that it does.”
Hair Tales will debut on October 22 on OWN and Hulu at 9 pm ET/PT. Watch our full interview with Tracee Ellis Ross in the video above.