World Afro Day 2025 : Celebrating Our Crowns, Our Culture, Our Power
Every curl, coil, and kink tells a story. On September 15th, the world pauses to honor that story through World Afro Day—an annual global celebration of Afro hair and identity.Â
It’s a movement of liberation, education, and unapologetic pride.
Every curl, coil, and kink tells a story. On September 15th, the world pauses to honor that story through World Afro Day—an annual global celebration of Afro hair and identity.Â
It’s a movement of liberation, education, and unapologetic pride.
At SWAYED, we know that textured hair isn’t just hair—it’s heritage, art, and activism all rolled into one. That’s why World Afro Day matters so deeply to us and why we’re joining in to celebrate every strand.
What Is World Afro Day?
Founded in 2017 by UK entrepreneur Michelle De Leon, World Afro Day was born from love. When her daughter expressed joy about her natural hair, Michelle realized that this spark should burn for every Black child—and every adult who has ever felt pressured to tame, straighten, or hide their crown.
The day’s mission is clear:
- Combat discrimination. From classrooms to boardrooms, Afro hair is still policed. World Afro Day fights against those negative biases.
- Promote self-acceptance. It encourages Black and mixed-race communities to embrace their natural hair proudly, pushing back against Eurocentric beauty standards.
- Educate the world. Through lessons, resources, and events, it teaches the history, science, and cultural significance of Afro hair.
- Advocate for change. The movement has helped inspire key legislation like the CROWN Act in the United States and continues to push for updates to laws in the UK and beyond.
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The chosen date, September 15, carries symbolic weight. It marks the day when a U.S. court once ruled that companies could legally refuse jobs to people with dreadlocks—a painful reminder of why this advocacy is still necessary.
The chosen date, September 15, carries symbolic weight. It marks the day when a U.S. court once ruled that companies could legally refuse jobs to people with dreadlocks—a painful reminder of why this advocacy is still necessary.
Why It Matters ?
Hair discrimination isn’t a relic of the past unfortunately—it’s ongoing. From schoolchildren being suspended for wearing braids, to professionals being told their natural hair looks “unprofessional,” the bias is real.
World Afro Day flips the script. It’s about turning shame into shine and dismantling outdated beauty hierarchies. It’s about making space for every curl pattern, from loose waves to tight 4C coils, to thrive unapologetically.
How to Get Involved in World Afro Day 2025
This year, World Afro Day is inviting the globe to take part in a Guinness World Record attempt for the Largest Cultural Awareness Lesson. It’s simple: watch a short educational film and take a quiz—and just like that, you’re part of history.
Other ways to join the movement:
- Attend events: Check worldafroday.com for workshops, film screenings, and global discussions.
- Support legislation: Advocate for laws like the CROWN Act to protect against hair discrimination. The rallying cry? Fix the law, not Afro hair.
- Educate and share: Use your platforms to spread awareness and spark conversations about Afro hair’s beauty and cultural weight.
- Buy Black: Celebrate the day by supporting Black-owned beauty and hair businesses in your community.
Why SWAYED Cares
At SWAYED, Afro and textured hair isn’t an afterthought—it’s our heartbeat. From our platform getswayed.site to our blog The SWAYED Edit, we’re building tools, stories, and spaces that uplift our crowns: when you protect, celebrate, and honor textured hair, you honor the people and cultures it represents.
September 15th, we invite you to celebrate your crown—and every crown around you.
Happy World Afro Day, fam.Â
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