There’s a lot to untangle with the history of natural hair discrimination.
The CROWN Act – a law that bans race-based hair discrimination – has brought the reality of natural hair bias into the consciousness of many Americans. But natural hair discrimination is not a new phenomenon. It’s something Black people have encountered since slavery and it continues to this day.
African Hair Before Slavery
In African culture, Black hair truly represents a crown. Hair was a way for Africans to communicate without even speaking.