You would think “hair discrimination” would be an impossible term, considering it simply grows – but you’d be wrong.
It is why National Crown Day has been created. Also known as “Black Hair Independence Day,” the day, celebrated on July 3, has been commemorated to celebrate Black hair. The national day was created by The Crown Coalition, which has tirelessly campaigned to end hair discrimination in schools, workplaces and other establishments.
National Crown Day also celebrates the signing of “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair” Act, which safeguards and protects people who wear Afro-textured hair in workplaces and schools throughout the country.
California state senator Holly J. Mitchell first introduced the bill in 2019, which outlaws “the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture,” Mitchell told Insider in an interview. She advocated for legislation of the law after discussions she would have with women at her hair salon in Los Angeles.
Mitchell then partnered with researchers from Dove to release the CROWN Research study, which elucidates how natural hair is profoundly patrolled in the workplace.
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“It goes back to our foremothers and fathers who were enslaved and forced to cover their heads,” Mitchell said. “What did we do? We created colorful headwraps and put our ‘Black Girl Magic’ on it.”
Following the signing of the bill, the CROWN Act is now law in over a dozen states, including Texas, the most recent state to sign the act into legislation.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott officially signed H.B. 567 into law in June and the new legislation will protect citizens from hair discrimination and specifically lists “braids, locks and twists” as hairstyles deserving protection.
The CROWN Act amends Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code to prohibit discrimination “on the basis of hair texture or protective hairstyle commonly associated with race” with an emphasis on “hairstyle[s] commonly associated with race,” which cover styles including afros, cornrows, bantu knots and high-top fades, among others.
The Act will go into effect in September and “applies to employers, labor unions, employment agencies, public schools, and institutions of higher education,” according to a Lexology report. “Currently, there are no cases that challenge the CROWN Act in the employment context.”
Happy National CROWN Day, ladies!
