Crown Day celebrates Black hair independence

MIAMI - Many people have been denied jobs and educational opportunities based on their hair texture or the protective styles they choose to wear. To combat that, The Crown Act was created, and July 3rd is known as National Crown Day. A day dedicated to ending race-based hair discrimination.

The Crown Act stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. It was signed into law in California in 2019. Currently, 27 states have passed similar laws, but Florida has not. In the 2023 Florida legislative session, HB51 and SB590 were both filed, but neither made it beyond committees in their respective chambers.

South Atlantic Regional Director for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Tiffany Russell, is a lawyer and The Orange County Clerk of Courts. She acknowledged that she has manipulated her hair to operate in her roles and keep up with what was deemed as the beauty standard. Now she embraces her curly mane with no hesitation.

"We were conditioned for years that we must conform to this particular look for us to have a good job, for us to be considered attractive, but I think we're now entering into this phase where we're embracing what naturally comes out of our scalp," she said.

However, many Black women have gotten relaxers, perms, or texturizers to make their hair more manageable. They are all chemical processes that make naturally textured hair straighter.

"I got a relaxer when I was younger in elementary school, and it was really unbearable. So, I burned and when I burned, I got scabs," said Florida Representative Ashley Gantt.

Gantt admits she wears her hair however she wants to but says the Crown Act empowers others to do the same.

"The Crown Act covers naturally textured hair whether it's loose, whether it's in locks, whether it's in braids, or plats, or twists, or spiral curls or whatever," she said.

As a legislator, Gantt says her job is to represent all people and to her, this law has a far reach.

"It impacts Black people, Afro-Latinos, people of the diaspora, Jewish people with really tight curls, like it impacts so many people," she explained.

With the Crown Act not enacted in Florida, both Russell and Gantt believe there is a lot of work left to be done.

"We've had stories right here in Florida where young people have been denied the right to graduate because they wore an afro or they wore their hair in locks and that's not considered appropriate," said Russell.