You can't actually make hair grow any faster, but you can do things to make sure your new hair grows in healthier and doesn't break as easily.
The top thing I would suggest is to not chemically process your hair. The best thing to do is a wrap or a wet-set, but pressing is not too terribly bad for your hair and a good press-and-curl should hold you for a couple of weeks, so that isn't nearly so damaging as straightening your hair with a hot comb or styling it with a curling iron every morning. Granted, pressing is a heat process, but since it is pretty long lasting, it is safer in the long-run. The ladies I know who have press-and-curl hair advocate finding an older hairdresser who specializes in pressing.
Another very good thing to do is to get braids. Cornrows are best, with minimal extensions, as the extensions can put stress on your hair follicles and actually promote hairloss!
![:shock: :shock: :shock:](/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/shock.gif)
Braids can be great when you're growing your hair out, though, because you don't have to comb or process your hair in any way, and a good set of cornrows should last about a month. Other braided styles with twisties or buns are also cool, though hard to sleep on! Fun for a change of pace, however, and you don't have to perm your hair first, which is a great bonus if you want to grow it out and go natural. I think the best thing about braids is that when you oil your scalp every day, the oil soaks into the braids and really conditions the bound-up hair.
In addition, make sure you eat plenty of protein (if you are a vegetarian, like I am, make sure to have plenty of legumes, tofu, tempeh, ect) and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. The beta-carotene you get from fresh produce helps promote strong hair growth.
Edited to add, yeah, I'm a white chick, but I am the
only white woman in my office--all the other ladies are African-American, and let me tell you, hair is one of the favorite topics of conversation around our office (even though our actual job revolves around setting up building-code inspections!) I hear a LOT about black hair styling during the course of an average week.