Why the ‘church crown’ became the best feature of a black woman’s Sunday

fort myers

When it comes to culturally significant headgear, there are baseball caps, cowboy hats, and in its own realm, the black women’s church crown. What is it that gives these wonderful hats meaning?

Every Sunday, you’ll see G. Yvonne Pow praising the Lord at Friendship Baptist Church at 2030 Palm Avenue in Fort Myers.

“When I was a little girl, I was always inspired by seeing my mother and her hair and all the other women in church wearing hats,” said Pow. Ever since I was little, I always wanted to wear a hat because I thought it was flattering.”

Powe started fulfilling that dream in his twenties, slowly building up his collection over the years. Now she doesn’t know how many she has. However, only a few of them can earn the title of “favorite”.

“Inherited from my mother. They are very special to me, and some of them were given to her by our brothers who are now dead.” Corinthians 11: According to 5, it is supposed to cover a woman’s head, so she feels like she is praising God.”

As that Bible verse states in the New International Version: “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head bare is disgraced her head. is the same as

For black women, the church crown has meaning beyond the Bible.In the 1900s, many black women worked in other people’s homes as domestic workers or nannies and weren’t able to dress up as often. Sunday church services gave them the opportunity to dress up for themselves and God. The church crown later became a status symbol.

“That was when they looked great,” said Power. “So I feel like I’m honoring the Lord.”

Pau also honors her mother and the generation of women before her.