A previous year’s celebration of Durag & Bonet Day at UNC Chapel Hill
Durag & Bonnet Day By: Max Morant Every February, the Black Student Movement hosts a month-long series of events celebrating Black History Month. Durag & Bonnet Day has traditionally been the final event of the series, in which students wear their favorite durags and bonnets to the pit to enjoy fellowship and vibes. Similar events at NC A&T State University and Morehouse College inspired the event where Blackness and solidarity are displayed. Since it began, the event’s intentions and impact have proven controversial within UNC’s Black community. As with any topic, all Black perspectives must be heard concerning the well-being and uplift of our community. In this article, I aim to outline the most common stances on the celebration and hopefully drive the conversation in a positive direction. Sentiments surrounding the event lie on a spectrum. On one end, people celebrate the occasion to its fullest, and on the other end, critics argue that the day centers the wrong part of Black culture. Speaking to Black
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2022 Black History Month Issue Edition
alumni from the late 90s and early 2000s, they’ve expressed concern that wearing unprofessional attire may affect our potential careers. One alumnus stated, “every interaction you have is an interview.” They argue that we could be robbing ourselves of opportunities without even knowing. This stance is common, but I argue that any opportunity lost due to simply wearing a durag on campus is probably an opportunity we didn’t need. Older generations also recall that their parents faced significantly more risk than us in predominately white spaces and want us to consider their perspectives as we shift our own narratives. It isn’t easy to imagine what the Black Carolina student experience may have been like decades ago and how different older folks’ lived experiences are. Still, understanding this generational disconnect makes it easier for us to empathize and find the lesson in their statements.
