The NY Times "Skin Deep" section has some informative articles on the broad area of cosmetic dermatology. The June 9, 2011 edition had a useful piece on 'Going Natural' with black hair. It has helpful pointers and lists a number of blogs and web sites.
"'Going natural' is the term used by many African-American women who decide to stop chemically processing, or relaxing, their hair. It’s a move that can be fraught with confusion, missteps and sometimes pain, as the 2009 Chris Rock documentary "Good Hair" attested." Rock's film is entertaining and educational and well-worth watching.
There are many problems associated with "relaxing" black hair and other common grooming practices, not to mention the significant expense which can run to 1000s of dollars per year. The Times article and Chris Rock's film are good introductions to this area.