Massachusetts Is Latest State To Sign CROWN Act Banning Hair Discrimination

The movement to decriminalize hair (because, yes, that’s still a thing) just won its latest victory in Massachusetts. Last week, the state signed the CROWN Act into law, effectively banning race-based hair discrimination in school and at work.

[SEE ALSO: House Passes CROWN Act To Make Race-Based Hair Discrimination A Federal Crime]

The CROWN Act is a legal movement spearheaded by the CROWN Coalition making discrimination against people of color for their hair a human rights issue. Over the years, Black people have been fired, forced to cut their hair, and even banned from walking at graduation because of their loc, braids and twists.

Massachusetts became a beacon for the legislation in 2017 after twin sisters Deanna and Mya Cook were given detention, banned from school activities, and suspended from school for wearing box braids. Their story went viral with Mystic Valley Regional Charter School even doubling down on its policies.

On July 26, after several years of legal fights and push by Reps. Steven Ultrino and Chynah Tyler, the Cook sisters were finally able to see justice.

“I never thought we’d be here,” said Deanna Cook, during the signing. “To be here and know that no one will go through what we did again, it means more than the world.”

The new law bans both school and workplace discrimination, as well as any policies or codes against hairstyles such as braids, locs, twists, or Bantu knots.

“This brings us to 18 states that have enacted the CROWN Act or legislation inspired by the CROWN Act and we continue to advocate for the passing of federal legislation in the U.S (United States),” said Esi Eggleston Bracey, President Unilever USA, CEO North America Personal Care.  “…On behalf of the CROWN Coalition, we thank and applaud Representative Ultrino for his championship of the CROWN Act in Massachusetts and Governor Baker for signing this critical legislation into law.  Now Massachusetts residents are free and protected against any harmful policies that prevent educational or employment opportunities based on a natural or protective hairstyle.”

Most recently, Illinois signed its bill extending protections from just school to also include the workplace in July. Alaska and Louisiana have already voted for the act and are simply awaiting signing by their respective governors. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) have also introduced a federal version of the act. The House of Representatives passed the bill this past March, after several unsuccessful attempts. We are still waiting to see what happens in Congress. Until then, states have continued their individual pushes. 

Here is a list of all the states that have passed the CROWN Act or similar anti-hair discrimination laws thus far:

• California (2019)
• New York (2019)
• New Jersey (2019)
• Maryland (2020)
• Virginia (2020)
• Colorado (2020)
• Washington (2020)
• Connecticut (2021)
• Delaware (2021)
• New Mexico (2021)
• Nevada (2021)
• Nebraska (2021) 
• Oregon (2021) 
• Illinois (2022) –extended from in schools only in 2021 to now include the workplace
• Maine (2022)
• Tennessee (2022)
• U.S. Virgin Islands (2022)
• Massachusetts

Is your state not listed? You can join the movement by clicking here to sign a petition calling on governors and state lawmakers to get on board.