Much of Americanah takes place as Ifemelu sits in a salon getting her hair braided, so one can understand from the beginning that hair will play a big role in this book.  Ifemelu lives in Princeton, New Jersey, she must travel to Trenton to have her hair braided. Hair is a symbol of identity for Ifemelu. It begins with her mother’s hair when she is a child. Her mother cuts off her long, beautiful hair that was often referred to as her “crowning glory” once she found Christ (Adichie ,50). A Christian knows what it means when you found Christ; it means you are a new person, a new beginning. For Ifemelu, her hair represents her struggle for confidence and an identity as both a Nigerian immigrant and a black American. In Nigeria, Ifemelu always braided her hair, but when she comes to America she learns that she is supposed to straighten her hair with chemicals or else people will think she is unprofessional. Aunty Uju told Ifemelu that: “I have to take my braids out for my interviews and relax my hair. Kemi told me that I shouldn’t wear braids to the interview. If you have braids, they will think you are unprofessional (Adichie ,146).” As a result of the cultural pressure, black women like Ifemelu feel they have to straighten, dye, or somehow make their hair look more like a white woman’s hair becomes a symbol of the racism inherent in American culture. Racism is not just explicitly racist acts, but also social hierarchies like the fact that most popular women’s magazines offer no hair-styling tips for black women. Hair, particularly Ifemelu’s hair, is used in the novel to comment on her defiance of American cultural norms. Ifemelu’s hair, whether braided, relaxed, or natural, represents her attempts to pushback against that norm.