The CROWN Act: Why We Need it and the Roots of Hair Discrimination in America

For centuries in Africa, hair represented a variety of symbolic aspects like tribe, wealth, rank, religion, and more. It was not until Africans were enslaved in America that ancestral hairstyles became discriminated against. Even today, communities are still fighting to incorporate their natural or just creative hairstyles in “diverse” spaces like work, school, sports, and more. This is why the CROWN Act is a need in all states to dismantle hair discrimination.

The CROWN Act, abbreviated for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is a law composed by the CROWN Coalition and Dove on July 3, 2019, in California to disallow race-based hair discrimination. It protects students' and employees' rights to wear their hair however they feel most comfortable and not be discriminated against because of their hair. Before exploring the roots of hair discrimination, it’s crucial to grasp its definition. Hair discrimination, alternatively known as hair bias or hair racism, encompasses the negative stereotypes and attitudes directed toward natural or Black-textured hairstyles like tight coils, afros, locs, braids, bantu knots, twist-outs, and more.

Hair discrimination is classified as racial discrimination and this injustice goes back to the sixteenth century. Once enslaved Africans were brought to the United States, they were forced to conform to their master's ideal image. Women working in the house were told to straighten their hair whereas women working outside had to wear head wraps to hide their tight coils. This discrimination in separating slaves based on hair texture created a ripple effect within the Black community today with hair bias terms like “good hair” deeming hair of tighter coils or coarse as “bad hair” or “unprofessional.”

Madam C.J. Walker, the first Black woman self-made millionaire, invented the hair straightening comb and hair products specifically for Black women by the end of the 19th century. Many have expressed that Walker’s impact hindered the Black community by influencing hot combs to straighten Black women’s hair, but she pushed back on that statement.

The 1960s birthed the natural hair movement in the United States, also known as the Black Is Beautiful Movement. On January 28, 1962, the African Jazz-Art Society & Studios (AJASS) orchestrated a fashion show titled "Naturally '62,” which featured a diverse group of Black models. The renowned photographer Kwame Brathwaite captured the groundbreaking event, supported by his brother, Elombe Brath, an activist who aimed to defy Western beauty standards and uplift Black models. The show intentionally included darker-skinned models with fuller figures and afros. The models were known as Grandassa Models, a name that originates from 'Grandassland', which was used to refer to Africa by Black Nationalist Carlos Cooks, who heavily influenced Kwame.

During the late 1960s and 1970s, the Afro hairstyle became a powerful symbol of the Civil Rights Movement, representing the fight for racial equality and the celebration of Black pride. The passing of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 was a historic moment, as it brought an end to segregation in public places and outlawed employment discrimination. Additionally, the establishment of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) further reinforced the mission to eradicate unlawful employment discrimination. The Black is Beautiful agenda was pushed forward by activists like Angela Davis and Marcus Garvey along with pop culture icons like James Brown who released “Say It Loud,” which became the anthem during rallies focused on honoring Black pride.

Tracey Owen Patton Communication scholar noted in "Hey Girl, Am I More Than My Hair?,” “the progressive changes made during the Black Power movement eroded as assimilation became more dominant in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s.”

By the 1980s through 1990s, natural hairstyles became less common among Black women as many chose silk presses and perms. However, this era also brought the popularity of box braids, finger waves, micro braids, short pixie cuts, and more. Despite these positive shifts, cases of hair discrimination persisted.

For example, in 1981, the court ruled in favor of American Airlines, which attempted to force Renee Rogers to take out her braids, arguing that braids were not an inherent racial characteristic in the Roger v. American Airlines case. Similarly, in Tatum v. Hyatt Corporation in 1994, Cheryl Tatum was pressured to resign from her job at Hyatt for refusing to remove her cornrows.

The 2000s heralded a new era for the natural hair movement. Through films like "My Nappy Roots: A Journey Through Black Hair-itage" by Regina Kimbell and "Good Hair" by Chris Rock, a cultural revolution was sparked, leading to a heightened awareness of the harmful effects of perms and empowering women in the Black community to embrace their natural hair. Leveraging the influential reach of social media, platforms such as YouTube and Twitter emerged as rich sources of knowledge, where women enthusiastically exchanged their natural hair experiences, offered valuable education on products, and shared innovative hairstyling techniques. As natural and protective hairstyles become more integrated into the everyday lives of the Black community, the issue of discrimination against these hairstyles persists.

• In 2017, a Montverde, Florida school asked a teenage girl to alter her natural hair because it violated the dress code.

• In 2018, a young girl was sent home from school in Terrytown, Louisiana because her protective hairstyle violated school policy.

• In 2024, a teenage boy in Mont Belvieu, Texas was disciplined at school for refusing to cut his dreads.

The need for the CROWN Act is more essential than ever. Currently, 26 states have implemented the law, with 24 more to go. Hair discrimination is significant in both school and work environments. Research shows that Black women with coily or textured hair are twice as likely to experience microaggressions in the workplace. Additionally, over 20% of Black women aged 25-34 have been sent home from work because of their hair. You can help put an end to hair discrimination by taking action and signing the petition for the Crown Act.