I, like many African Americans, immediately noticed the benefits of working remotely and how it aids my anxiety regarding racism, discrimination, and white-collar politics in the workplace. From the comfort of my own home, and my Zoom camera off, I feel comfortable in knowing that I don’t have to worry about my hair being considered “unruly” or “unprofessional” in the workplace.
Legal Rulings
Since the Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action in higher education in June of 2023, which foreclosed consideration of race in the admissions process in higher education, DEI initiatives are now under the microscope as some attempt to apply the Court’s ruling to the private sector.
The Crown Act was created in 2019 by Dove and the CROWN (Creating a Respectful Open World for Natural Hair) Coalition. It was created to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles and textures, such as locs, twists, braids, and knots, in the workplace and public schools.
In January 2023, the law took effect in the state of Illinois, and as of July 2024, 25 states have passed the CROWN Act. Although this news is positive, it’s hard to ignore the fact that a law like this has to be created in the first place.
It’s evidence that the U.S. hasn’t quite left its roots of policing Black hair. The Jet Hawkins Law and the Tignon Law of 1786 come to mind. The latter was a New Orleans law that required free Black women to cover their hair with a fabric with the intention of oppressing Black women and demoralizing Black expression of pride in their appearance. The cloth, or tignon, was to be a reminder that this free person was less than their white counterparts.
What Does Project 2025 Have to Do with Black Hair?
Project 2025 is heavily supported by right-wing conservatives and details controversial policy proposals. The document mentions eradicating DEI initiatives multiple times and argues that such initiatives further discrimination and are part of a bigger politicized agenda. Page 593 states:
“Federal agencies and their components have established so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices have become the vehicles for his unlawful discrimination, and all departments and agencies have created “equity” plans to carry out invidious schemes.
There is no scheme, and if the creators of this manifesto would take a critical race theory class (Project 2025 calls to eliminate racial classifications and critical race theory training), they would learn that the need for DEI doesn’t come from an agenda of “woke culture warriors.”
DEI initiatives are necessary because of the past and present-day history of being Black in America. A 2019 study by Dove found that Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair. 80 percent of Black women reported feeling that they needed to switch their hairstyle to align with more conservative standards in order to fit in at work.
Furthermore, Project 2025 was written by three good ol’ boys whose physical appearances match the demographics of most corporate offices in America. If you take a look at their headshots, you’ll notice the main difference between their coiffures is where they decided to part their hair.
The European standard of beauty is a standard that is impossible to reach if you are a person with little to no European ancestry, and a standard that truly should not be placed on Black Americans in the first place. It’s very easy to propose policies (or the dismantling of certain policies) that dictate appearances when your own appearance is considered the standard.
Peace. Protection. Pride.
Discrimination against Black hair in America dates all the way back to the 15th century, when European colonialists used the dehumanization of Black hair as another tool to validate their horrid mistreatment of enslaved Black people. The Black Power and the Natural Hair movement during the 1960s and early 2000s pushed a message of pride in the beauty of Black features.
It encouraged Black Americans to wear and celebrate their natural hair texture. Black Hair has always been a political statement, and to wear it in its most natural state is a subtle act of rebellion and beauty. Now into a new year and Project 2026 already drafted, what’s next for Black hair?
