On July 26, 2022, Massachusetts joined the ranks of states combatting discrimination based on natural hairstyles by enacting the Massachusetts CROWN Act, becoming the 18th state to do so. Originally signed by then-Governor Charlie Baker, the law officially took effect on October 24, 2022.
Named “An Act Prohibiting Discrimination Based On Natural and Protective Hairstyles,” the legislation expands upon existing antidiscrimination statutes by broadening the definition of race to include traits historically associated with race. These traits specifically encompass hair texture, type, length, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, twists, Bantu knots, and other similar forms.
The impetus for the Massachusetts CROWN Act stemmed from a 2017 incident involving African-American sisters at a Massachusetts charter school. The teenagers were disciplined for wearing braid extensions, a protective hairstyle which was then banned by the school but is now explicitly protected under this law.
Advocacy groups like The Crown Coalition, the official campaign for The CROWN Act, have emphasized the law’s significance in both educational and workplace settings. It mandates that no school district, committee, or public/nonsectarian school can enforce policies that prohibit natural hairstyles. Similarly, workplace discrimination based on hairstyles is also expressly forbidden.
As of May 3, 2024, the CROWN Act has been enacted in 24 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 40 municipalities across the United States. Despite bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives, federal legislation mirroring the CROWN Act has faced obstacles in the Senate, according to the American Bar Association.
This legislative milestone marks a significant step forward in the fight against discriminatory practices rooted in cultural biases surrounding natural and protective hairstyles.