AUSTIN (KXAN)— On Monday morning, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Crown Act into law in a formal signing ceremony at the Texas Capitol. The law bans discrimination against someone for wearing Black natural hairstyles like braids, locks and twists.
The CROWN Act is an acronym for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair, and it prohibits school districts, colleges or universities, employers or labor unions to discriminate against any protected hairstyle as part of a dress code.
The bill cleared its final hurdle on May 12 after it was passed by the Texas Senate 29-1. It was sent to Abbott’s desk on May 16 and he made it law with his signature on May 28 It goes into effect on Sept. 1. It passed the Texas House 143-5 on April 12.
A case in Mont Belvieu, Texas, brought CROWN Act laws to the forefront after DeAndre Arnold was suspended from Barbers Hill High School in 2020. The school district said the length of his dreadlocks was the issue and it violated the district’s dress code. Arnold, a Black student with Trinidadian heritage, said the hairstyle is part of his family’s heritage and culture and the men in their family grow their dreadlocks to below their waist.
Rep. Rhetta Bowers, the author of the bill, said it will “improve the lives of countless Texans.”
CROWN Act bills have been passed in 21 states including Texas and are part of a national civil rights and anti-discrimination movement started in 2019.
“My clients, I’m going to let them know, ‘We’re gonna rock our long natural braids, and we’re going to be able to embrace ourselves and show who we are, as a person,'” Hair Stylist, Klenisha Blanton said.
Blanton owns, Krowned by Klenisha. Because of the CROWN Act becoming law, she’s looking forward to continue to empower her clients. However, she knows it’ll take time for everyone to be fully comfortable with wearing black natural hairstyles.
The Texas representatives behind the bill hope people not only do feel courage to move forward,
but will take legal action of they feel like their rights have been violated under the new law.
“I have suffered the same micro aggressions that the people i was fighting to protect have and with every bit of every bit of my soul it means so much to me that we can make this happen and this will touch the generations,” Bowers said.
Blanton now has a sense of liberation, and a direct hand in a new era with every client she crowns.
AUSTIN (KXAN)— On Monday morning, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Crown Act into law in a formal signing ceremony at the Texas Capitol. The law bans discrimination against someone for wearing Black natural hairstyles like braids, locks and twists.
The CROWN Act is an acronym for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair, and it prohibits school districts, colleges or universities, employers or labor unions to discriminate against any protected hairstyle as part of a dress code.
The bill cleared its final hurdle on May 12 after it was passed by the Texas Senate 29-1. It was sent to Abbott’s desk on May 16 and he made it law with his signature on May 28 It goes into effect on Sept. 1. It passed the Texas House 143-5 on April 12.
A case in Mont Belvieu, Texas, brought CROWN Act laws to the forefront after DeAndre Arnold was suspended from Barbers Hill High School in 2020. The school district said the length of his dreadlocks was the issue and it violated the district’s dress code. Arnold, a Black student with Trinidadian heritage, said the hairstyle is part of his family’s heritage and culture and the men in their family grow their dreadlocks to below their waist.
Rep. Rhetta Bowers, the author of the bill, said it will “improve the lives of countless Texans.”
CROWN Act bills have been passed in 21 states including Texas and are part of a national civil rights and anti-discrimination movement started in 2019.
“My clients, I’m going to let them know, ‘We’re gonna rock our long natural braids, and we’re going to be able to embrace ourselves and show who we are, as a person,'” Hair Stylist, Klenisha Blanton said.
Blanton owns, Krowned by Klenisha. Because of the CROWN Act becoming law, she’s looking forward to continue to empower her clients. However, she knows it’ll take time for everyone to be fully comfortable with wearing black natural hairstyles.
The Texas representatives behind the bill hope people not only do feel courage to move forward,
but will take legal action of they feel like their rights have been violated under the new law.
“I have suffered the same micro aggressions that the people i was fighting to protect have and with every bit of every bit of my soul it means so much to me that we can make this happen and this will touch the generations,” Bowers said.
Blanton now has a sense of liberation, and a direct hand in a new era with every client she crowns.