In 2001, Hampton University’s School of Business banned students from wearing dreadlocks or cornrows in their program, on behalf of the college’s past dean, Sid Credle. This ban is still in effect.
According to the Huffington Post, “Hampton University’s Cornrows And Dreadlock Ban: Is It Right?” by Julee Wilson, Credle believed that those hairstyles would prevent students from being prime candidates in securing a job.
“All we’re trying to do is make sure our students get into the job,” Credle told ABC TV. “What they do after that, that’s you know, their business.”
Although the ban only extended to students in the school’s five-year MBA program, there was heavy opposition to this decision from the university’s students.
Eleven years later, in 2012, this controversial ban still caused room for discussion on whether its regulations truly helped students land jobs in the corporate world.
According to Carrieheals’ “Hampton University Business School dean stands by ban on dreadlocks, cornrows,” Hampton spokeswoman Naima Ford commented that the school was doing its best to model their students for the future.
“We model these students after the top African-Americans in the business world,” said Ford.
Differing from its historical black university counterpart, Florida A&M’s School of Business and Industry makes sure to teach its students on how to look presentable in all aspects — dreadlocks and all.
SBI Dean Shawnta Friday-Stroud is aware of the weight natural black hairstyles hold in a business setting and understands that students who carry themselves with professionalism can successfully land jobs whether they sport dreadlocks or not.