Facebook was set ablaze on July 25 after Frank Somerville, a white TV reporter in California posted a photo on his page of him combing his adopted black daughter’s hair with the caption:
So for those of you who think tv can be glamorous, this is how i spent my morning, learning how to take out my daughter’s braids. It takes a long time and a lot of patience!
Within a few days the photo had been shared more than 2,500 times and received more than 12,000 likes.
Somerville followed up with a statement a few days later,
It’s not often that I am speechless, but I am floored by the response to the picture I posted, and by how touching and personal many of them were. To me the picture shows a dad doing what a dad SHOULD do, and loving every minute of it. The birth of my first daughter, and adopting my youngest daughter, are the two best moments of my life, and I feel like the luckiest dad in the world that my family is interracial. I can’t thank all of you enough. And remember CHANGE HAPPENS ONE PERSON AT A TIME!
The picture is definitely touching, and brings to mind Clifton Green, another white father who adopted an Ethiopian girl, and soon became responsible for her hair care.
Ladies, what do you think of the photo?
Wow! I’ve honestly never seen nothing like this before. It’s beautiful.
Totally agree :).
MY BLACK FATHER ALWAYS DID MY HAIR. SO IF YOUR BLACK FATHER DIDN’T THEN SORRY FOR YOU. DONT PUT THEM ALL IN ONE CATEGORY. BLACK FATHERS ARE THE BEST!
Totally agree! I am so sick and tired of people seeing white people as ‘saviours’. ‘Oh wow, he’s a white male and taking care of his black daughters hair, oh wow so touching’. Sarcasm off. Ugh.
I tooooootally knew somebody was going to say this… Le sigh. Crab in a barrel mentality
Uhm no. I’m just tired of these white people worshipers. It’s sickening really.
@Eloisa…girl, you are a trip. I agree and definitely don’t see whites as saviors.
I just think a man combing his daughter’s hair is nice, though I know of a brother in church who combs, washes, conditions, braids, etc. his wife’s and daughters’ hair. He’s not a barber nor is he gay, just a good Black man. I honor Black men. My dad is a good one. He never did my hair, though…rotfl!
I think folks are making a big deal because he is white.
That’s not what Nisha said and there’s no need to shout. Keep your rage to yourself if you have nothing positive or constructive to say.
CONSTRUCTIVE. OK. MY BLACK FATHER ALWAYS DID MY HAIR. HE TOOK TURNS WHEN MY MOTHER NEEDED A BREAK. I THINK ITS GREAT THAT THIS WHITE FATHER IS TAKING THE TIME TO DO HIS DAUGHTERS HAIR. IS THAT POSITIVE ENOUGH FOR YOU? ALSO, I AM NOT SHOUTING. I JUST LIKE TYPING IN CAPS.
So great! My father is Black and he NEVER did my hair. I am pretty sure he has no idea how to. I wish I had moments like this with him, he wasn’t around very much let alone to do my hair. Such a special time to share with their daughters. Love it.
I’m with you Nikki. My father NEVER touched my hair. I was little in the 70′s and maybe that’s the difference. This 21st century is so interesting. Go on with your bad self Dad:)
Another child of the 70s here and yeah, my dad never touched my hair but he DID express his opinion about my getting it pressed (and, later, relaxed). Needless to say my mother ignored him…for better or worse…and then when I went (back to) natural 20+ years later he was bothered because it was so short. I’ve BC’d so many times since, he’s used to it now… :)
Anyway, that photo is awesome. Any man doing their daughter’s hair is awesome IMO.
It must have continued on into the next decade because I was born in the early 80s, LOL. My father was very far from progressive but like @kifsgirl noted the 21st century has really brought up some changes for the better. It is awesome.
My dad did my hair. Child of the 90′s here. He didn’t do it often because he still followed the old school idea that it was emasculating but when my mom couldn’t and he had to, I loved it. Hair time serves as a great bonding experience and I actually thought he did a better job than my mom! He was less heavy handed and more patient. He didn’t want to upset his “little girl.” My father doing my hair is one of the most positive memories I have of him.
WELL MY BLACK FATHER ALWAYS DID MY HAIR WHEN I WAS YOUNG. SO PLEASE STOP ACTING LIKE THIS PICTURE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL. HE IS A WHITE MAN WHO ADOPTED A BLACK DAUGHTER. SO HE SHOULD LEARN TO DO HER HAIR. THIS IS NORMAL.
Thank you Connie1 for keeping it REAL. That white man learned how to take care of his daughter’s hair by watching/asking WHO????? Black people. So WTH is all this standing ovation stuff coming from? This isn’t a ‘black/ white’ thing UNTIL people start bashing their own people out of nowhere and putting this white guy up on a pedestal. After that, it then becomes a ‘black/white’ issue. Self-hate is a disease and some of these comments are shining a spotlight on it.
I think it caused so much stir because it is super rare to see dads do hair but it is way more rare to see a white father doing his black daughter’s hair. I also love the idea that he took the time to learn how to do her hair, so many parents who have children of a different races/ethnicity (or parents of biracial children or kids with very different texture hair) never learn and their children suffer as a result so this is commendable.
I think you are going over board a bit Connie1. I don’t think the point was to put black fathers down. The point is to uplift any father for doing his daughter’s hair. As many commented above, their black father did their hair as well and this photo brings back fond memories. I would think it does the same for you. Perhaps you should take a moment and figure out why this is so upsetting to you. Wish you the best of luck.
STOP WITH THE IGNORANT COMMENTS ABOUT BLACK MEN. THERE ARE PLENTY OF BLACK FATHERS WHO DO THEIR DAUGHTERS HAIR. MY FATHER IS ONE OF THEM. GIVE IT A REST. SOME OF YOU ARE SO IN LOVE WITH WHITE PEOPLE THAT YOU CANT EVEN RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU ARE BEING DISRESPECTFUL TO YOUR OWN RACE.
@connie1 you are being hostile and angry and speaking in caps. What’s the reason. You seem very angry over something that personally has nothing to do with you. OMG.
I AM ANGRY BECAUSE I AM BLACK AND PEOPLE ARE ON HERE DISRESPECTING BLACK MEN.
Scuse me @connie1 now I am offended. My mom is Yamassee Muscogee and my dad was mixed. This isn’t a racial issue. You being the typical bitter black woman always angry made it racial. People are saying nice things. Positive words. You are being the tyipical nasty black woman. It just gets old
SO WHAT IS A TYPICAL BLACK WOMAN? NOW YOU ARE BEING RACIST AND IGNORANT. YOU ARE GETTING OLD. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE ON THIS SITE WHO MADE IT A RACE THING. SO READ!
Excuse me? Typical angry black women, wth? It amazes me how whites, asians and mixed people can disagree with something and be judged as individuals, but when a black woman has a different opinion about something, she’s a ‘typical angry black women’. Connie has the right to her opinion just like everybody else. Just because you don’t agree with her, doesn’t mean she’s typical, black and angry. Please go spread your racist ignorant posts somewhere else.
How was that racist?
How are the comments about these ladies PERSONAL experiences with THEIR fathers ignorant? You seem to be the one generalizing here. You don’t know what other fathers do. You can only speak to your experience and let others speak to theirs.
@connie1= Egyptian bella.
@tria robinson=======two shouting idiots.tria when you parrot racist sexist garbage and you are(partly) included in the group being targeted with the racism and sexism, then you are an IDIOT.SO STFU!Thanks.
connie1-another idiot stanning for black dudes most of whom wouldnt spit on you and would diss you even worse but carry on with your ignorance.
LINDY YOU ARE SO IGNORANT. WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT BLACK MEN WOULD DISS ME? BLACK MEN LOVE ME. MY BLACK FATHER LOVES ME. MY POINT IS THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF BLACK FATHERS WHO DO THEIR BLACK DAUGHTERS HAIR. THAT IS NOT AN IGNORANT STATEMENT. THAT IS FACT. SO LINDY PLEASE GET A LIFE!
I love it of course. It actually makes me think of how full of bologna men like Steve Harvey are when they say things like, “Men aren’t wired to do any of that stuff.”
Exactly!
I agree with you, it’s the same in Barbados, men actually think there are certain activities that are “women’s work”; although that may change – I see more young fathers taking charge of carrying their children to school and shopping for back-to-school uniforms and books than I did when I was younger – so there’s hope.
say that! @Nikki
lol, Steve Harvey simplifies things for his own comfort, nobody is wired to do anything, we learn to do things because we are social “animals”. (“full of bologna”, that made me laugh :)
This is so touching. You know I dont have a father and this brings a tear to my eye. Every girl in the world, regardless of race, deserves a father like this :’-(
I hope one day am going to marry someone like him bc he’s a FATHER.
I agree, I wish my Dad would’ve done at least that.
OH PLEASE, STOP ACTING LIKE YOU DONT SEE BLACK FATHERS DOING THINGS LIKE THIS EVERYDAY. ALSO, WHITE FATHERS WITH THEIR WHITE DAUGHTERS. THERE ARE GOOD FATHERS EVERYWHERE NO MATTER THE RACE. I JUST SAW A PIC OF WILL SMITH DOING HIS DAUGHTERS HAIR WHEN SHE WAS FOUR. NO ONE MADE A BIG DEAL OUT OF THAT.
@Connie1,
understand the relevance of this. it’s always touching to see a Father doing his daughters hair, regardless of race. I see you keep posting the same type of comment every so often… stop trying to Censor everyones opinions. The truth is, some peoples fathers (regardless of race) didn’t do their hair for them, period point blank And they are allowed to be moved by the fact that a father would so gently deal w/ his daughters hair. I am assuming your are natural, so as a natural you understand that taking care of our hair is not always an easy task, some of our parents are FULL black and STILL relaxed our hair for the ease of it. and the picture shows a MAN(first off) taking care of his daughters hair and secondly a WHITE MAN taking care of his daughters non-relaxed hair. Not requiring that she assimilate to what is the norm in his family, but accepting her and her differences & by doing her hair patiently and lovingly helping her accept herself! That is a big deal when ANY daddy does it! You have expressed yourself & we understand your point. you do not have to keep reiterating yourself, stop trying to Censor the feelings of others, a white dad getting credit for doing a job well done does not somehow discredit the black daddies, hispanic daddies, asain daddies who do the same things on a daily basis. Its just not a common sight in the U.S. I know you understand this fact.
@jasminicole
Well said!
Bam!!!! Now maybe Connie will have a seat!!
NO I WONT HAVE A SEAT! I AM ONLY RESPONDING TO THE IGNORANT COMMENTS AGAINST BLACK MEN. IF YOU DONT LIKE IT, OR CAN’T COMPREHEND IT, THEN OH WELL. I WILL KEEP SPEAKING MY MIND. I LOVE BLACK MEN AND BLACK FATHERS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE ON THIS SITE SAYING NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT BLACK MEN, YET NONE OF YOU ARE RESPONDING TO THAT. INSTEAD YOU ARE ONLY FOCUSING ON MY POSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT BLACK MEN.
+ 1
Very well said!
I NEVER SAID THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH WHAT THIS FATHER IS DOING. I THINK IT’S GREAT THAT HE IS DOING HIS DAUGHTERS HAIR. MY ONLY POINT IS THAT, BLACK FATHERS DO THE SAME. OF COURSE I AM NOT TRYING TO TELL SOMEONE ELSE WHAT THEIR BLACK FATHER HAS DONE, OR HASN’T DONE FOR THEM. I AM ONLY SPEAKING FROM MY EXPERIENCE. IF YOU CANNOT RESPECT MY OPINIONS AND LOVE FOR BLACK MEN THEN, SORRY FOR YOU!
I thought the picture was darling but i was moved by his comment after his picture had received so much attention. He’s just doing what a dad should do indeed! Awesome.
lol. he looks so serious in that photo. like he is tryin to get that part right.
but, it’s a nice photo. have any black men posted photos of themselves doing their black daughters’ natural hair?
This is what should happen. White people who adopt Black children, who CHOOSE to parent Black children, SHOULD learn to care for the hair PROPERLY, with proer technique and product. I see too many Black children with White parents who look a hot mess because the paents WON’T learn haircare. White women who have children with Black men need learn as well.
There are lots of black mothers and fathers out there who don’t know how to take care of their black children’s hair as well. If that weren’t the case, there would be no need for this natural hair community because we would have all learned how to care for our natural hair from childhood and many of us probably wouldn’t have been given chemical treatments to make our hair “more manageable” from a young age.
I think it has more to do with education, health and interest than race.
The pictures are really nice. My family is interracial and I am very excited for the day I get to see my husband doing our daughter’s hair, although, for now it’s not curly, so he got an easy out… But maybe the next one will be curly.
God bless!
Aja
+1
So what are white hair communities for? I guess there are white mothers and fathers that do not know how to do their white kids hair too?
Why must everything be a condemnation of black people? Just praise/be touched by the man’s picture without finding ways to make it about how horrible black people are?
Agreed. I hate how people turn this into something it doesn’t need to be, which really is a reflection of their own beliefs that they feel the need to express at any moment.
Most black mothers haven’t properly learnt how to take care of their black children’s hair, yet. Who would then teach the white mothers how to properly care for the hair. They may have gotten wrong advices.
I see a lot of black children with black parents who look a hot mess too. Let’s not be tacky and turn this into a white parent vs black parent dialogue.
I don’t know if any of the ladies were referring to my comment, but for clarity’s sake, I certainly wasn’t try to condemn black parents, or any parent or say how horrible black people are and I haven’t read anyone else say that either.
The point I was trying to make was that it would be nice if all races knew how to care for their own natural hair properly, but many don’t, hence all the forums out there catering to different hair types, so if every black parent out there doesn’t know how to properly care for their own or their children’s natural hair, it wouldn’t be a stretch that white parents of black children, who don’t have a lifetime of opportunity behind them to learn, might not either.
We have all seen children of EVERY race without the best hair care. Some people just aren’t that into hair, some people just don’t know what the heck they are doing and skin color really doesn’t always have everything to do with it. That white parent of a black child with crazy looking hair, might have a white child with crazy looking hair too, if they had a white child. Hair care is not everything to everybody.
Here’s hoping that every parent of every child of every color makes sure their child looks appropriate for every occassion, but that is not always the case. Nobody is perfect and looks aren’t everything, anyway. God bless people who choose to adopt, no matter what color the child is. My husband and I often talk about adopting someday. In my personal opinion, and thats all this is at the end of the day, figuring out how to take care of the child’s hair would be something to figure out later, but the utmost important factor is giving a child a safe and loving place and family to call home for the rest of their lives. Making a loving difference in a child’s life is a really wonderful thing, whether the child’s hair is perfect or pulled into a messy bun, if they have a loving place to lay their head, they are blessed :)
I certainly don’t think I, or any other black person is horrible or wish to condemn any parent of any race and given the fact that is is a comment forum where people were asked for their opinion, it would seem like the perfect place for a person to express their own beliefs. Isn’t that what everyone is doing? Sorry for any misunderstanding of my comments, if there were any and God bless!
THANK YOU!!!! You’ve pretty much said exactly what I think!
+100!
White men have sent themselves to the moon. They should know how to comb their black children’s hair! lol
maybe so… but we still have black women that dont know how to comb their own hair.
…aint that the truth!
AGAIN YOU ARE MAKING THIS ABOUT BLACK VS. WHITE WHEN IT IS NOT. STOP SAYING THAT BLACK WOMEN DONT KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR HAIR BECAUSE THAT IS AN IGNORANT STATEMENT. MY MOTHER HAS GORGEOUS HAIR AND SO DO I. IT IS BECAUSE I HAD A BLACK MOTHER AND FATHER WHO KNEW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MY NATURAL HAIR. SO STOP IT YOU IDIOT!
Connie 1, your comments seriously indicate you have a racial issue??? are you angry that a white dad can take care of his black daughter’s hair?? whats up with all that nasty attitude??
DID YOU HEAR THE COMMENT ABOVE FROM JAZELLE? THAT IS WHAT I AM RESPONDING TO. WHY WON’T YOU RESPOND TO OTHER PEOPLE’S COMMENTS WHO ARE DISCREDITING BLACK WOMEN AND MEN?
And your black mother and father probably taught you how to be militant too.
Kudos to dad! I have a Facebook friend who adopted an Ethiopian child & her brother. She posted a pic of her entire family taking out the girl’s braids. I thought that was love!
i don’t know what the big uproar is about.it looks like he’s doing a good job.now i’d understand if he made her look like buck wheat or had a black person coming in to do her hair then that would be something to talk about.but he decided to adopt a black child, and he’s taken the steps he needs to learn about her hair and do it pretty well.i think he should be getting way more praise the bashing.
I agree, it’s not surprising to see a man comb his child’s hair.
it’s not surprising to see a man, or a father, comb his daughter’s hair?
there are lots of men who are hair stylists, and yep, they comb hair.
i’m certain that very few men, particularly black men, are actually combing their little girls’ hair.
+1
MERRY IS BASHING BLACK MEN. THERE ARE PLENTY OF BLACK MEN WHO DO THEIR DAUGHTERS HAIR. JUST BECAUSE YOURS DID NOT DOESNT MEAN ALL BLACK MEN DONT. GET A GRIP!
@connie1 you are negative bitter and hateful. This is a positive thread. And u are rude and nasty
+1
OK TRIA ROBINSON, JUST IGNORE WHAT MERRY SAID. PEOPLE CAN SAY NEGATIVE THINGS ALL DAY ABOUT BLACKS BUT I CANNOT STAND UP AGAINST THAT. RIGHT?
I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH WHAT THIS FATHER IN THE PIC WAS DOING. I THINK ITS GREAT. WHAT I DONT LIKE IS COMMENTS THAT I SEE ON HERE THAT SAY “VERY FEW BLACK MEN ARE COMBING THEIR DAUGHTERS HAIR.” OR COMMENTS LIKE “MY BLACK FATHER NEVER DID MY HAIR. BLACK WOMEN AND MEN DON’T KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS HAIR.” THESE ARE THE COMMENTS THAT ARE PISSING ME OFF. I CAN POINT OUT EXACTLY WHO IS SAYING THOSE NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT BLACKS. I WILL POINT THEM OUT, THEN I WANT ALL OF YOU WHO ARE BASHING ME, TO POST A COMMENT TO THOSE PEOPLE BASHING BLACK MEN AND WOMEN. OK?
Who was basking him though? I’ve only seen positive comments so far
*bashing
I guess for me this is how i grew up. Both of my parents worked. My mom wasn’t always home on weekends to comb our hair so my dad would do it. Still to this day if i need help with my hair he’s there for me. He even helped me put in some tracks when i was 18. Gotta love Dads that do it all.
+1
Similar story, my mom worked nights and many weekends so my dad tried to do me and my 2 little sisters hair and I had a enough hair for 3 people alone! Even when i bc’d at 22, my dad took a brush and showed which directions to brush my hair! THANKS DAD!!
I think its a wonderful thing my dad did the samething when I was little to help my mom out which I think is SUPER sweet and no its glamorous taking down braids, unless its a braidout lol.
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Much love,
Bri
I think it’s FANTASTIC when a father, no matter what his race takes the time to learn how to care for his daughter’s hair. That in itself is exciting.
These pictures made me say thank god they are taking care of the childrens hair I don’t know how many times I have interracial children with their hair looking horrible not combed it shows pride in your children and your family that you take the time to learn what to do
I don’t know ho many times I have seen Black children where both parents are Black have horrible looking hair. There are many in the Black community that don’t know how to style their children’s hair properly hence our reliance on salons and stylist. I think for any parent it takes time, patience and a willingness to learn. Clearly this father is willing to do this. There are number of Black parents that I know who should take note of what he is doing because their children’s hair looks unhealthy and busted.
WHY DO BLACK PARENT’S HAVE TO TAKE NOTE OF WHAT THIS WHITE MAN IS DOING? WHY WOULDN’T THEY JUST LOOK AT ANOTHER BLACK MAN WHO IS DOING A GREAT JOB WITH HIS CHILD’S HAIR? COME ON PEOPLE STOP IT. THERE ARE PLENTY OF BLACK MEN WHO ARE GREAT FATHERS AND WHO DO THEIR KIDS HAIR.
Connie, go take a Xanax and a nap before you have an aneurysm. Please.
IM OK TATI, BUT I JUST LOVE MY BLACK RACE. I WILL STAND UP FOR IT ANYTIME AND EVERYTIME. UNTIL PEOPLE GET IT THROUGH THEIR THICK HEADS THAT BLACK MEN, WOMEN, MOTHERS AND FATHERS, TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR CHILDRENS HAIR JUST LIKE THIS WHITE MAN IS DOING.
>COME ON PEOPLE STOP IT
Take your own advice. Get away from the computer for a bit. You are clearly too worked up over something so small.
Nice
How adorable, I’m pretty sure my husband would not want to do it but if I asked he would do it. He has done it before (taken the braids out and washed the hair) but didn’t do anything to it after that and the next morning of trying to do their hair was a HOT MESS… He was almost banned from doing her hair, LOL!
My dad used to do my hair and was actually pretty good at it. Touching.
Aw makes me think of my dad doing my hair when I was little. I wish I could cornrow like my dad used to. He had plenty of practice before I was born because he was expected to help with his sisters when he was growing up. My mom was just a little gentler though!
I think its nice. But, I know plenty of black fathers that comb their daughters hair. Including my own father. I see more single fathers now that do their child’s hair. I don’t know, maybe it depends where you grow up because this is not abnormal for me to see. Whether the father is black or white.
Same here. I have seen this scene before, but don’t try to convince the ‘black is whack’ brigade.
“‘Black is whack’ brigade”-I had to laugh! I can’t stand when people have negative experience and blame it on an entire race, especially their own! “My daddy was black and wouldn’t touch my hair with a ten foot pole” and “My mama gave me a relaxer”-I can’t take it. My father, a proud black man, took exceptional care of his daughters and I hate reading comments about how black people neglect their kids because it’s not true. Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t make it true for all of us.
Thank you…some of these comments are dad. My dad was a navy man and did my hair plenty of times as a child. So…though the photo is cute it really isn’t that shocking
Oops sad
I think it’s unusual, but very cute and great that he likes it and loves his daughters.
When that is said, I don’t think you have to do this in order to be a good dad. To take and interest and let your child know they’re loved is the main thing not who does what in my view.
In my day as a child (born 1962) it would have been unthinkable, but times change in many ways all the time. But I don’t feel being less loved or anything because my dad didn’t do my hair (I’m also colored and adopted by white parents).