Minnesota passes Crown Act outlawing racial discrimination based on hair

The U.S. house, led by Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, just passed the Crown Act last week. It will outlaw racial discrimination against people based on their hairstyle and texture. Fourteen states across the country have passed the Crown Act. Crown stands for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.”

Why pass legislation dealing with hair? It’s a workplace issue for many Black Americans. Lori Tharps, a journalist and educator, has written about this in her book “Hair Story - untangling the roots of black hair in America."

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