By TNCP Review
On March 18, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. The CROWN Act would prohibit workplace discrimination based on a person’s hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin.
Currently the Crown Act is law in seven of the 50 states, and Representative Ruth Ann Gaines believes Iowa will become the eighth.
The Crown Act bill has been filed in Iowa and has been sent to a subcommittee in the house where it will be voted on. Representative Gaines said if approved, the bill will apply to school districts, housing, public accommodation and many others.
The CROWN Act was created in 2019 by Dove and the CROWN Coalition, in partnership with then State Senator Holly J. Mitchell of California, to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and public schools. California was the first to pass the Crown Act July 3, 2019.
In this episode of The New Citizens Press Review, publisher, Rina Risper, discusses with Black Iowa News publisher, Dana James the series on Black hair featured in Black Iowa News, “Respect Black Hair, about healthy techniques and products, the CROWN Act and why “Every strand of Black hair is good hair.”
James talks about her own personal, uncomfortable experiences with her hair, and hair products that were not safe; Risper shared similar war stories and the pains that young Black girls go through, especially in school.
Black Iowa News Black hair series:
Respect Black Hair: Moisture, good habits key, say Black Iowa hair professionals
Respect Black Hair: Blacks bristle against hair bias, discrimination, seek passage of the CROWN Act
