A durag (alternate spellings) is a close-fitting cloth tied around the top of the head to protect the hair; similarly a wave cap is a close-fitting cap for the same purpose. Durags may be worn to accelerate the development of long curly/kinky hair, waves or locks in the hair; to maintain natural oils in hair (similar to a bonnet); to stop hair breakage; or to keep hair, wave patterns and braids from shifting while sleeping. Durags are also worn as an identity-making fashion choice, popular in African-American culture. Spelling and etymology Numerous alternative spellings exist for durag, including do-rag, dew-rag, and doo-rag, all of which may be spelled with a space instead of a hyphen, or with neither a hyphen nor a space; especially as durag. The simplest etymology for do-rag is that it is named as such because it is a rag worn to protect one's hairdo. However, one writer in The New York Times claims that the correct spelling of the word is durag. An alternative etymology claims that name should be spelled dew-rag, and dew is a euphemism for sweat. Early usage In the August 27, 1965, edition of LIFE magazine, a page 22 photo caption describes a man wearing a "'do-rag' on his new hair-do". On June 4, 1966, the Akron Beacon Journal printed "do rag ... a cloth band worn around the forehead as a sweatband or to keep hair in place". On September 2, 1966, the Dayton Daily News printed "the man with the black dew rag... one with the black bandana". In late 1966, "do rag ... processed hair done up in black rags" appeared in Newsweek. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary places the earliest usage of do-rag in 1968. History In the 1930s, during the Harlem Renaissance and Great Depression, the durag was used to maintain hairstyles. During the black pride movement of the 1960s and '70s, durags became a fashion statement. In the 1990s, durags were further popularized by rappers like Jay-Z, Nelly, and 50 Cent. The popularity of rappers such as A$AP Ferg and the waves hairstyle have re-stimulated the use of durags. In popular culture The 1974 song "Uncle Remus," cowritten by Frank Zappa and George Duke, includes the lyric, "I can't wait till my Fro is full-grown / I'll just throw 'way my Doo-Rag at home." American singer and bassist Thundercat's album It Is What It Is features the