GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS A REDHEAD!
Hair, History, and the Identity We Carry
Hair isn’t just style—it’s story. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how hair color shapes identity, how historical figures like George Washington defy our assumptions, and how personal memories are braided into strands of meaning.
I am a redhead! Well, let’s say that for several years I was a redhead, and then the grey set in. However, I still think of myself as a redhead! I had no idea that George Washington was a redhead. You always see him with this long white hair, which was his real hair, by the way. It is pulled back in a ponytail and powdered to make it appear whiter! I imagine that made him look wise!
What color is your hair? Have you ever thought of the importance of this fact? Of course, your driver’s license has your hair color on it, and your passport picture is in color. If your hair color changes because of age or because you dye your hair there may be some questions to answer when traveling. The style can easily change, but the color is important.
Our hair is a source of pride for us. Both men and women care about how their hair looks. The one exception to that in history must be Albert Einstein! That guy’s hair looked like it had been managed by a lawnmower! He did not care about how his hair looked, and I can offer him grace since his intellect provided scientific advances. Most men and women do care about their hair. They spend time and money taking care of their hair.
If we do not like the natural color of our hair, we can pay to change the color. Some people even like to put unusual colors in their hair, like blues, greens, or oranges. Most of that coloring tends to take place in adolescence. People wear their hair in many ways, and they have fun experimenting with different hairstyles. Short hair can be moussed into spikes. Long hair can be plated into braids. In one decade, women piled their hair into a beehive shape, standing several inches above their heads. Boys and men went through a phase of getting the “flat top” cut where the hair would stand straight up and be cut to look like a flat tabletop on your head. Then there is the mohawk that was popular for a while, with the sides of the head shaved and a row of hair standing straight up from the forehead to the back of the neck.
Many people do a “sports” cut by having the emblem of their favorite team carved into their hairline. This is typically a male thing, but don’t think that it is only a male thing. Hair is really important. Women going through breast cancer will lose their hair. Men heading into the service will have their heads shaved. Wigs and toupees can be made of real or synthetic hair. Wigs for women going through breast cancer treatment can be extremely important.
When I was an early teen, I wanted to cut my long hair, so the woman at the salon braided it into two braids and then cut them off. My parents kept those braids in tissue paper in the cedar chest. I had the pleasure as an adult of sending those braids off to an organization that made hair pieces for cancer survivors. I took a picture of those braids to remind me of the bronze-red color that topped my head as a child. I don’t think I have ever seen a picture of George Washington with red hair, and I wonder why not.
Want to explore the truth behind Washington’s hair color? Visit Missed History’s deep dive into Washington’s reddish-brown hair and Mount Vernon’s myth-busting facts about Washington’s appearance.
If you’re reflecting on identity, memory, or personal transformation, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and life-stage growth.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
