South Middlesex Times

Growing up in a Black church, Kyra March was familiar with the vibrant tradition of wearing elaborate hats. The women in her South Carolina African Methodist Episcopal congregation, including her grandmother, wore these hats with pride. Now a doctoral student at Rutgers University studying African American history and women's and gender history, March has curated an exhibit that explores this cultural practice.

The exhibit titled "The Head That Wears The Crown" opened on September 20 at the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) in Skillman, New Jersey. It will run through Juneteenth weekend. The collection features 25 church hats donated by women from Second Calvary Baptist Church in Hopewell, New Jersey.

March believes the exhibit provides an opportunity for Black women to connect with their heritage. "I think this exhibit provides an opportunity for Black women to feel connected, to see themselves, see their families, see stories that relate to them in ways that sometimes we don’t always see," she said.

The collection includes portraits of local community members and museum staff wearing the donated hats. These images are paired with text panels written by March detailing the historical significance of church hats and Second Calvary Baptist’s congregation.

March initially considered focusing on how church hats are tied to diasporic headwear but was drawn to explore turbans after discovering Civil War-era images during her research. She explained that headwear has been used for various reasons throughout history: "Whether tignons (headscarves) worn by free Black women in the 18th century, turbans in the 19th century or church hats in the 20th Century, headwear was used for religious reasons, personal reasons and style."

The Tignon Laws forced free Black women to wear headscarves during the 18th century as a means of differentiation from enslaved individuals. However, many turned these into expressions of personal style using decorative fabrics and knots.

"I see tignons as a clear indication of the resistance against oppressive Black laws," March noted. She suggests that creativity may be rooted in tradition: "Maybe they would have appreciated the designs of the head wraps or hats or turbans or handkerchiefs."

Kristin O'Brassill-Kulfan from Rutgers praised March's work: “Kyra is doing innovative, community-engaged public history work.” O'Brassill-Kulfan added that March creatively linked her research with SSAAM's mission during her internship.

March hopes visitors leave understanding more about Black women's headwear traditions: “Ultimately I want people to leave understanding...the power of Black women's headwear...and learn more about its tradition.”