The cornrows proved to be efficient and life-saving as they provided the African slave population with elaborate maps so that they could escape from the plantations. Cornrows were used to transfer and create maps with the intention to leave the home of the captors.

Why did slaves wear cornrows?

Cornrows were a sign of resistance for slaves because they used it as maps to escape from slavery and they would hide rice or seeds into their braids on their way to enslavement.

Were cornrows used to help slaves?

But perhaps the biggest way that cornrows helped the African slave population was by providing a discreet and easy to hide way to transfer and create maps in order to leave their captor's place. Enslaved Africans also used cornrows to transfer and create maps to leave plantations and the home of their captors.