On Thursday, March 17, 2022, the Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed the Crown Act with a victorious landslide vote of 155-0. This legislation (H.4554) “An Act prohibiting discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles” would define natural hairstyle in statute, prohibit discrimination in schools, employment, housing and business, and ban school policies that restrict natural and protective hairstyles. It will also expand criminal law prohibiting assault and battery for purposes of intimidation to include natural hairstyle and adds natural hairstyle to hate
data collection and reporting requirements that would prohibit discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles.
Speaker of the House Ronald J. Mariano stated, “I’m proud the House took action once again to ban discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles in our schools, places of work, housing, and public accommodations. Bans on natural hairstyles are racist, and prohibiting these discriminatory policies is the right decision”.
“The passing of this legislation is indeed another historic moment for people of color, for women of color and for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts” stated Representative Bud L. Williams, House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion. “It gives credence to the struggle that systemic racism still exists and validation that our journey is not over yet. We must continue the fight for equality and inclusion. We must recognize that our differences make us uniquely special and stand firm in our conviction that race-based discrimination will not be tolerated. I am proud to be a member of the People’s House where we continue to pass legislation that moves the needle forward to a more inclusive future, and as Representative Michael Day, House Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary stated, this bill is necessary to address continued attempts to outflank our laws against discrimination based on race.”
“Today, marks a great day for Black & Brown communities throughout the Commonwealth,” said Representative Chynah Tyler, Chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus. “Black women are more policed in the workplace than any other racial/ethnic group based on the way they choose to wear their hair. The passing of this legislation gets us one step closer to ending a barrier for communities of color in Massachusetts.”.
