Man graduates high school 60 years after being expelled for his hair

Blues musician, Otis Taylor, can finally add a high school diploma to his collection of guitar picks and soulful tunes. At the ripe age of 74, he has triumphed over a decades-old expulsion for his rebelliously long hair.

Back in 1966, the good ol’ Manual High School in Denver had some strict grooming rules. Otis explained to NewsNation that he, always one to stand out with his fringed leather jackets and beaded moccasins, fell victim to the hair debacle. They demanded close-cropped sides, giving the okay for some James Brown action up top. It was either conform or bid farewell to that elusive diploma. Otis chose his locks over conformity and said, “Bye.”

His decision didn’t sit well with his folks, causing quite the parental storm. Fast forward to the pandemic era, and the school had a change of heart. They decided to make amends and right the historical hair wrongs.

“I’m getting a lot of Facebook messages from people that had the same situation. I think about those people. You know, maybe who didn’t do so well. Maybe they’re living in homeless tents? I don’t know.”