In the News

YAHOO! News December 13, 2023 -- Darryl George, a Black student at Barbers Hill High School, Texas, is at the forefront of exposing flaws in the CROWN Act's enforcement. William Sherman, the lawyer instrumental in crafting the CROWN Act's strategy, highlights the selective application of dress codes, emphasizing racial discrimination over policy violation. Sherman's insights call for stringent enforcement of laws protecting culturally significant hairstyles. Read more.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., June 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- National CROWN Day, presented by Dove and the CROWN Coalition, is back and expanded to a two-week celebration to commemorate the inaugural signing of the first CROWN Act (July 3, 2019) to "Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair." This year's celebrations mark the fourth CROWN Day, and will kick-off during the 2023 BET Awards, followed by several signature events during the ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans, LA. Read more.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Feb. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of Dove's ongoing commitment to help pass The CROWN Act and end race-based hair discrimination nationwide, the brand has partnered with LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network, who is committed to creating equal access to economic opportunity and creating more equitable outcomes for all professionals. While progress has been made to end hair discrimination with the passage of The CROWN Act in some states across the US, race-based hair discrimination remains a systemic problem in the workplace – from hiring practices to daily workplace interactions – disproportionately impacting Black women's employment opportunities and professional advancement. Read more.

AXIOS Axios Twin Cities — Minnesota is set to join a growing number of states that ban racial discrimination related to hairstyles. The DFL-majority Senate passed the so-called "Crown Act" 45-19 on Thursday. The bill, which cleared the House earlier this month, now heads to Gov. Tim Walz's desk. The legislation adds protections to the Minnesota Human Rights Act for "traits associated with race, including but not limited to texture and hairstyles such as braids, locs, and twists." Read more.

DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE: ST. PAUL — A bill that would create specific protections against discrimination based on ethnic hairstyles has passed in the Minnesota House and awaits a vote in the Senate. The CROWN Act, sponsored by Rep. Esther Agbaje, DFL-Minneapolis, would add hairstyle protections to the state’s existing human rights statute. If signed into law by the governor, hairstyles and textures would be added to the definition of race in the Minnesota Human Rights Act, offering protections for “braids, locs and twists.” Read more.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J.: On Tuesday, July 26, 2022, Governor Charlie Baker (R) signed The CROWN Act into law, prohibiting hair discrimination in schools and workplaces. Representative Steven Ultrino (D-Boston) first introduced the bill which was co-sponsored by Representative Chynah Tyler (D-Boston), Senator Adam Gomez (D-Springfield), and Senator Sal DiDomenico (D-Middlesex). Read more.

BOSTON GLOBE: Massachusetts follows 17 other states in adopting language known as the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, or CROWN, Act. Now, it’s illegal in the Commonwealth to discriminate against a person for donning styles including, but not limited to, braids, locs, twists, and Bantu knots. Proponents say the law is a crucial first step in reversing centuries of harm perpetrated against Black Americans because of their natural hair textures. Read more.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Dove announced the talent line-up for National CROWN Day's weekend celebration. Since 2018, Dove along with the CROWN Coalition have championed the CROWN Act; a tremendous and active movement, resulting in 17 states officially enacting the CROWN Act legislation into law, U.S. (United States) Virgin Islands, first U.S. territory to make hair discrimination illegal; grown the CROWN Coalition from 4 members to 90+ and secured over 400K petition signatures. Now, it's time to celebrate Black Hair Independence! Read more.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The CROWN Coalition, a national alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty, and Color Of Change, along with 90+ members of the CROWN Coalition are excited to announce a few new champions of the CROWN Act. Maine Governor Janet Mills signed LD 598, the CROWN Act into law on April 20, 2022. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed SB 136, the CROWN Act into law on May 27, 2022. Most recently Louisiana, Illinois, and Alaska all passed legislation to make hair discrimination illegal in their state and are all awaiting their Governor's signature. Read more.

LOUISIANA ILLUMINATOR: Legislation to protect Louisiana students and workers from discrimination based on their natural or protective hairstyles failed to make it through the Louisiana Legislature for the second year in a row. House Bill 667, authored by Rep. Tammy Phelps, D-Shreveport, failed Monday in the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee by a 6-8 vote. Phelps’ legislation is modeled after the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), a national legislative effort that began in 2019. Read more.

NBC NEWS: A viral photo of some of Campbell's teammates and competitors frantically helping her remove the beads has been shared on Facebook more than 35,000 times, with many people remarking it was an "amazing" and "awesome" display of good sportsmanship. But Campbell; her mother, Melody; and a host of others said they see something different when they look at the image: the results of hair discrimination.

YORK DAILY RECORD: The York City Councilwoman Edquina Washington proposed the CROWN Act as part of city ordinances at Tuesday's meeting. According to Washington, resident pastor Theresa Hawkins brought the subject to her, and she teamed up with the York City Human Relations Commission to present the amendment to the board. During a press conference before the board meeting, Washington and Chair of the Human Rights Commission Stephanie Seaton spoke about why the legislation is important. Read more.

CNN: The bill passed the US House last month but needs to be approved by the US Senate, before it’s sent to President Joe Biden’s desk. “A lot of people are not aware that race-based hair discrimination exists,” said Esi Eggleston Bracey, who leads Unilever’s beauty and personal care portfolio and is a co-founder of the CROWN Coalition, which champions the legislation. There are “implicit and explicit biases” against natural hair “deeply ingrained in workplace norms and society at large,” New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker, a Senate sponsor of the CROWN Act, said in a statement. Read more.

CNN -- Nothing makes Dyree Williams feel more like himself than his hair, which he has proudly worn in twists, braids and locks all his life – it’s part of his identity and a direct connection to his ancestors. But Williams’ locks became an issue after the 17-year-old moved from Cincinnati, Ohio, to East Bernard, 50 miles outside of Houston, Texas, in February. His new school’s dress code policy stated that “braided hair or cornrows will not be allowed,” a policy that went against his very sense of self. Read more.

U.S. Virgin Islands -- On April 11, 2022, U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. signed into law Act No. 8553, “The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2022” or “The Virgin Islands Crown Act of 2022,” which prohibits discrimination based on hair texture or hairstyle. The act amends the Virgin Islands Civil Rights Act (VICRA), which prohibits discrimination in employment, as well as with respect to public accommodations and with respect to rental transactions, on the basis of race, creed, color, or national origin. Read more.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., /PRNewswire/ -- The CROWN Coalition, a national alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty and Color Of Change, along with over 90 members of the CROWN Coalition praise the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the CROWN Act of 2022. Led by Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-New Jersey's 12th congressional district), along with 116 cosponsors, the Democratic-led House voted 235-189 to pass the CROWN Act. Read more.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The US House on Friday passed legislation that would ban race-based hair discrimination in employment and against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, and public accommodations. The Democratic-led House voted 235-189 to pass the CROWN Act, which stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair." The bill seeks to protect against bias based on hair texture and protective styles, including locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and Afros. Read more.

DALLAS, TX — Your voice is your power. Your words are powerful. We know this, right? All week long, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado has made a point to show that she knows the power of her words as well. But also this week, when providing a vote on the CROWN Act, a bill that would outlaw discrimination based on hair textures and hairstyles, she referred to it on the House of Representatives floor as "the bad hair bill." Read more.

TRENTON, NJ – Assemblywoman Angela McKnight (D-Hudson) issued the following statement Wednesday in response to House Republicans blocking the passage of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair or CROWN Act. Read more.

SALT LAKE TRIBUNE – This is the second year Sen. Derek Kitchen of Utah is bringing forward an effort to add hairstyles to discrimination protections.

A bill aimed at preventing race-based hairstyle discrimination has hit a roadblock in the Utah Legislature for the second year running. Read more.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota House of Representatives passed legislation with bipartisan support Monday that would make it illegal to discriminate against someone because of their hairstyle. The “Crown” Act, an acronym meaning “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair,” would add hairstyle and texture to a provision in the Minnesota Human Rights Act that prohibits racial discrimination in housing, employment, and education, among other areas. Read more.

MACOMB DAILY (MI) -- “A primary goal of our event is to raise awareness of the proposed CROWN Act legislation here in Michigan. If passed, this legislation would prohibit race-based hair discrimination and the denial of professional advancement, employment, and educational opportunities or sports participation for youth because of hair texture or protective hairstyles such as twists or braids,” states Robyn Murphy, Ph.D., The Arts! Chairman of AKA Sorority, Omega Xi Omega chapter, in a news release. Read more.

DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL -- The CROWN Act bill, which would prohibit discrimination against Black men, women, and children who choose to wear their hair naturally, appears poised to fail in the Florida Legislature for the third year in a row. Read more.

YAHOO! FINANCE -- Dove highlights hair discrimination in latest purpose-driven effort The beauty brand is using the campaign to raise awareness for CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act legislation to make race-based hair discrimination illegal. The act, which would help protect an estimated 2.3 million Black children nationwide, is the law in 14 states and 34 municipalities. Read more.