Senate Republicans block passage of the CROWN Act to ban discrimination against natural hair

Earlier this year, the US House of Representatives announced the passing of a bill banning race discrimination on hair for the second time – specifically textures or styles associated with a particular race or national origin. However, the bill, known as the CROWN Act  (standing for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), has had a tumultuous time since its passing. Most recently, Republicans have blocked the bill’s path to the Senate for the second time.

In the US, for a bill to be placed into law, it must be approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill was initially passed by the House in 2020, although it was later blocked in the Senate, controlled by Republicans. The bill was then passed for a second time earlier this year, yet Republicans stepped in once more to block the CROWN Act’s passage – which would become part of federal law and would be authorised across the US if passed.

Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman lamented the failure, explaining that the law should never have been considered controversial or contentious in any way. In a letter calling for Senate leadership to include the CROWN Act in its end-of-year funding legislation. “This is not ‘just a hair’ issue, this is a Civil Rights issue. Hair-based discrimination remains a source of racial injustice with serious economic consequences for Black people,” stated Coleman.

The letter continues: “The CROWN Act bridges the gap in current anti-discrimination legislation. This bill would prohibit discrimination based on an individual’s style or texture of hair by including an individual’s style of hair that is tightly coiled or tightly-curled, locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, Afros and any other style of hair commonly associated with a race or national origin in the definition of racial discrimination.”

The congresswoman then addressed the House the following day, urging the opposition to “choose to stand for justice when the next opportunity arises.” Congresswoman Nikema Williams also claimed it was “likely” that the CROWN Act’s supporters would try again to introduce the legislation once the next legislative session is sworn in.