# What Specific Historical Laws Targeted Textured Hair as a Tool of Oppression? ❉ Question

**Published:** 2025-05-26
**Author:** Roothea
**Categories:** Question

---

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![Women braid textured hair, passing down ancestral techniques in a scene celebrating Black hair traditions. This practice demonstrates deep commitment to heritage while emphasizing beauty, self-expression, and the significance of communal support for holistic hair wellness](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/women-braiding-textured-hair-cultural-exchange-and-hair-care-practices.jpg)

## Roots

To truly grasp the weight of specific historical decrees that sought to diminish textured hair, one must first feel the resonance of its heritage. This is not merely an academic exercise; it is an act of listening to the whispers of ancestors, to the stories etched into every coil, every strand, every resilient pattern that crowns the heads of Black and mixed-race people. Hair, in countless ancestral African societies, was a profound visual language, a living chronicle of identity, status, spirituality, and community. It was sculpted with intention, adorned with natural elements, and tended with rituals that connected individuals to their lineage and the earth.

To touch one’s hair was to touch one’s spirit, a sacred exchange. The deliberate legislative acts that arose across colonial landscapes and beyond were not random edicts; they were calculated strikes at the very core of this profound heritage, aiming to sever the ties between people and their inherent sense of self, their connection to ancient wisdom.

![The textured surface of the shea butter block, captured in monochrome, speaks to the rich heritage of natural hair care. Its emollient properties, a staple in ancestral African and Black hair traditions, offer deep hydration and coil strengthening, essential for healthy, resilient hair textures](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/monochrome-close-up-of-shea-butter-block-for-textured-hair-care.jpg)

## Ancestral Hair as a Living Archive

Consider the pre-colonial African continent, where hairstyles served as intricate maps. A particular braid pattern could denote one’s tribal affiliation, marital status, age, wealth, or even readiness for war. Hair was a canvas for artistry, a symbol of beauty, and a conduit for spiritual energy. These practices were not superficial adornments; they were deeply integrated into daily life, ceremonial rites, and communal bonds.

The knowledge of specific herbs, oils, and techniques for hair care passed down through generations formed a vital part of indigenous pharmacopeia and cultural continuity. When the [transatlantic slave trade](/area/transatlantic-slave-trade/) forcibly displaced millions, the very act of shaving heads upon capture and transport was a brutal, symbolic erasure. It was an attempt to strip away identity, to dismantle the self-concept rooted in ancestral ways, and to sever the connection to homeland and heritage. This violent act of forced uniformity was a precursor to the formal laws that would follow, a physical manifestation of the intent to control and dehumanize.

> Hair, in many ancestral African societies, was a profound visual language, a living chronicle of identity, status, spirituality, and community.

![The nuanced portrait, highlighting sophisticated Afro-textured style, invites contemplation on identity, heritage, and self-expression. The black and white treatment enriches the textures and emphasizes her features, promoting discussion on beauty standards and textured hair appreciation, showcasing natural hair](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/striking-black-and-white-portrait-of-woman-with-textured-hair-design.jpg)

## How Did Early Colonial Powers Perceive Textured Hair?

The arrival of colonial powers brought with it a clash of worldviews, where the colonizer’s perception of beauty and order clashed violently with indigenous practices. Textured hair, with its natural volume, varied textures, and capacity for elaborate styles, stood in stark opposition to the Eurocentric ideals of straight, flowing hair. This difference was not merely aesthetic; it was racialized and politicized. The inherent vitality and unique characteristics of [Black hair](/area/black-hair/) were often pathologized, labeled as unruly, uncivilized, or simply “bad.” This ideological groundwork laid the foundation for legal frameworks designed to suppress Black expression and maintain racial hierarchies.

Early colonial sumptuary laws, though not always exclusively about hair, often contained provisions that restricted dress and adornment for people of color, directly impacting how hair could be presented. These laws sought to demarcate social differences by regulating appropriate types of dress based on race, gender, class, and status, a technology of seeing that reinforced societal divisions (Stoler, 2001, p. 836; Wiecek, 1977, p. 268).

The imposition of these regulations was not simply about appearance control; it was a deliberate strategy to reinforce the perceived inferiority of Black people. It aimed to suppress any visual markers of their rich cultural heritage and inherent dignity. The underlying message was clear: conformity to white standards was expected, and deviation would be met with legal or social sanction.

This suppression extended to every aspect of Black life, but the hair, so deeply tied to identity and ancestral memory, became a particular target. The resilience shown in maintaining traditional styles, even in secret, speaks volumes about the enduring spirit of heritage.

- **Colonial Erasure** ❉ Forced head shaving during the transatlantic slave trade served as a primary, brutal act of identity stripping.

- **Sumptuary Decrees** ❉ Laws that restricted adornment and dress for people of color, aiming to enforce social hierarchies.

- **Pathologizing Texture** ❉ The Eurocentric gaze labeled textured hair as undesirable, leading to societal and later legal pressures for conformity.

![The focused examination of spiraled textured hair in this image evokes the deep connection between self-care, heritage, and the deliberate art of nurturing ancestral hair patterns emphasizing the importance of thoughtful hair practices and highlighting the inherent beauty found within textured hair.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/womans-hands-examining-twisted-strands-black-textured-hair-against-neutral.jpg)

![This black and white study captures a young girl](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/young-girl-with-voluminous-afro-textured-hair-black-and-white-portrait.jpg)

## Ritual

Stepping from the echoes of ancestral understanding, we now approach the living rituals that shaped, and were shaped by, the laws seeking to control textured hair. It is here, in the daily practices of care and adornment, that the impact of oppressive decrees became most intimately felt. These laws did not merely exist on paper; they entered homes, schools, and public spaces, dictating how a person could present themselves to the world. Yet, within this pressure, Black and mixed-race communities cultivated acts of resistance, transforming mandates of suppression into declarations of selfhood, preserving a vital heritage even when it meant defying the prevailing order.

![The black and white treatment amplifies the subject’s strong features and distinctive coiled textured hair, celebrating Black hair traditions and modern self-expression through styling. Light and shadow define her gaze, inviting a connection and deeper contemplation on beauty and identity](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/striking-black-and-white-portrait-of-woman-with-coiled-textured-hair.jpg)

## The Tignon’s Enduring Legacy

Perhaps the most poignant illustration of a specific historical law targeting [textured hair](/area/textured-hair/) as a tool of [oppression](/area/oppression/) is the **Tignon Law** of 1786 in Louisiana. Enacted by Spanish Governor Esteban Rodriguez Miró, this decree compelled free women of color in New Orleans to cover their hair with a tignon, a type of headscarf. The motivation was explicit: to diminish the perceived social standing of these women, whose elaborate hairstyles and vibrant presentation often rivaled or surpassed those of white women, and whose beauty attracted white men, causing consternation among white women (Byrd & Tharps, 2014; Ngandu-Kalenga Greensword, 2022).

The law was a direct assault on the visual markers of their freedom and prosperity. It aimed to aesthetically link free [Black women](/area/black-women/) to enslaved women, who often wore [head coverings](/area/head-coverings/) for practical reasons while laboring. Governor Miró hoped to control women “who had become too light skinned or who dressed too elegantly, or who competed too freely with white women for status and thus threatened the social order.” This decree was not about hygiene or modesty; it was about maintaining a rigid racial and social hierarchy by policing Black women’s appearance. It stripped away their choice to display their hair, which was often adorned with gems, beads, and other accents, signifying their identity and beauty.

> The Tignon Law of 1786 in Louisiana stands as a powerful testament to the deliberate legal suppression of Black hair as a means of social control.

![Resilient hands, embodying ancestral heritage, pass down the art of fiber work, reflecting shared wisdom through textured hair kinship. The monochrome palette accentuates depth, emphasizing holistic connection and the transference of cultural identity woven into each fiber, highlighting timeless Black hair traditions](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/intergenerational-kinship-weaving-wisdom-textured-hair-legacy-in-black-and-white.jpg)

## How Did Women Resist the Tignon Law’s Oppression?

Despite the oppressive intent, the women of New Orleans responded with a powerful display of resilience and ingenuity. Instead of submitting to visual subjugation, they transformed the mandated tignon into a statement of defiance and cultural pride. They fashioned their head coverings from luxurious, brightly colored fabrics, often silk or Madras cloth, and adorned them with ribbons, jewels, and feathers. What was intended as a mark of inferiority became a striking fashion statement, a symbol of their enduring spirit and unyielding self-worth.

This act of creative rebellion turned the law on its head, demonstrating that true beauty and identity could not be legislated away. The tignon became a visible declaration of their unique Afro-Creole heritage and a symbol of solidarity within the community.

This historical example illuminates a recurring pattern: where oppression sought to diminish, Black communities found ways to assert their heritage and identity. The tignon, originally a tool of subjugation, became a symbol of power and self-possession, its meaning re-scripted by those it sought to control. This historical episode resonates deeply with contemporary struggles against hair discrimination, reminding us that the spirit of resistance, of claiming one’s hair as a sacred aspect of self, remains a potent force.

The table below outlines the contrast between the oppressive intent of the [Tignon Law](/area/tignon-law/) and the resilient response of the women it targeted, reflecting the enduring spirit of textured hair heritage.

![This expressive monochrome portrait captures the inherent beauty and volume of spiraling textured hair, highlighting cultural connections to textured hair traditions the woman](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/black-and-white-portrait-woman-with-long-spiraling-textured-hair-style.jpg)

![The monochromatic study evokes a sense of calm while hinting at ancestral heritage, as the softly lit coiled textured hair suggests holistic care traditions passed down through generations, showcasing a commitment to hair wellness and historical hair care practices honoring resilient formations.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/monochrome-portrait-of-young-person-resting-with-textured-hair-details.jpg)

## Relay

Our journey through the historical landscape of laws targeting textured hair now leads us to a deeper, more intricate exploration, a relay race through time where the baton of oppression, though altered, was passed through generations. This segment peels back the layers of these legal structures, connecting their origins to enduring societal biases and recognizing the continuous fight for recognition and self-determination that echoes into our present moment. It is a profound inquiry into how foundational injustices regarding hair have shaped not only individual experiences but also collective cultural narratives and the very trajectory of Black and mixed-race identity.

![With a genuine expression of joy, this portrait celebrates the natural beauty and resilient texture of African coily hair. The short cut emphasizes healthy coil patterns, showcasing the ease of low manipulation styling for strong type 4b hair forms while celebrating heritage and ancestral pride](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/radiant-joy-african-womans-natural-coily-texture-hair-style-and-laughter.jpg)

## Beyond the Tignon: Broader Legal Controls

The Tignon Law, while a powerful individual case, was not an isolated incident. It was part of a broader constellation of legal and social controls that sought to regulate the bodies and appearances of Black people. During the era of slavery, various **slave codes**, though often unwritten regarding specific hairstyles, inherently restricted Black individuals’ autonomy over their appearance. The forced shaving of heads upon arrival in the Americas, for instance, was a deliberate act of dehumanization, a systematic stripping of cultural identity that preceded any formal sumptuary law.

This act, while not a written law in the same vein as the Tignon, served a similar purpose: to erase ancestral connections and enforce a state of subjugation. Enslaved people often found subtle ways to resist, using braiding patterns to communicate messages or map escape routes, a testament to hair as a living, breathing aspect of heritage and survival.

Later, during the **Jim Crow era**, while direct laws explicitly banning textured hairstyles were less common, the pervasive atmosphere of racial segregation and white supremacy created an environment where Eurocentric beauty standards were rigidly enforced through social pressure, discriminatory policies, and caricatured representations. Advertisements often depicted African Americans with “nappy-haired caricatures,” reinforcing negative stereotypes and creating a social mandate for conformity. This period saw the rise of chemical straighteners and hot combs, marketed as solutions to “bad hair,” offering a path, albeit a damaging one, to social acceptance within a prejudiced society. The choice to straighten hair, often a matter of economic and social survival, highlights the insidious power of these unspoken, yet deeply ingrained, societal laws.

> The historical targeting of textured hair extends beyond explicit statutes, reaching into the subtle, yet powerful, realms of social codes and discriminatory norms.

![The monochromatic palette emphasizes the inherent texture of the woman](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/monochrome-portrait-of-woman-with-afro-textured-hair-and-timeless-elegance.jpg)

## How Do Modern Anti-Discrimination Laws Connect to This Heritage of Struggle?

The contemporary landscape, marked by the rise of the **CROWN Act** (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), stands as a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of these historical struggles. The CROWN Act, first signed into law in California in 2019, explicitly prohibits discrimination based on [hair texture](/area/hair-texture/) and [protective styles](/area/protective-styles/) such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in workplaces and public schools. This legislation did not arise in a vacuum; it is a direct response to the ongoing reality that Black individuals, particularly women and children, continue to face bias, job denial, and educational exclusion due to their natural hair. Studies indicate that Black women are significantly more likely to be sent home or fired from work because of their hair, and Black children in majority-white schools frequently experience race-based hair discrimination.

The legal battles leading to the [CROWN Act](/area/crown-act/) reveal how the legal system historically struggled to protect textured hair. Early court rulings, such as <i>Rogers v. American Airlines_ (1981), often sided with employers, arguing that hairstyles were not “immutable racial characteristics” and thus not protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This perspective overlooked the deep cultural and historical significance of Black hairstyles and the inherent racial bias in defining what constitutes “professional” appearance.

The CROWN Act, in defining hair texture and protective styles as inextricably linked to race, represents a crucial step in dismantling these long-standing, racially biased norms. It acknowledges that [hair discrimination](/area/hair-discrimination/) is, at its core, racial discrimination, finally offering a legal shield for a fundamental aspect of Black identity and heritage.

The table below provides a concise overview of key historical and modern legal moments concerning textured hair, illustrating a continuum of struggle and progress.

- **Historical Erasure** ❉ Early colonial practices and slave codes aimed to strip away identity through forced hair removal.

- **Sumptuary Constraints** ❉ Laws like the Tignon Law directly dictated appearance, seeking to control social perception.

- **Modern Advocacy** ❉ The CROWN Act represents a contemporary legal push to protect textured hair as an intrinsic part of racial identity.

![Hands extract aloe vera pulp for a traditional hair treatment, connecting generations through natural haircare rituals. This image represents a tangible link to ancestral heritage and the enduring beauty of holistic textured hair care practices promoting optimal scalp health and resilient hair formations](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/extracting-aloe-vera-for-textured-hair-care-holistic-preparation-method.jpg)

![Elegant in monochrome, the portrait celebrates the beauty and strength embodied within afro textured hair, a coil crown, and classic style. The image is an ode to heritage, resilience, and the power of self-expression through textured hair forms, deeply rooted in Black hair traditions and ancestral pride](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/monochrome-portrait-of-a-woman-with-afro-textured-hair-and-classic-dress.jpg)

## Reflection

As we close this exploration, the echoes of historical laws that targeted textured hair linger, not as a lament, but as a testament to the enduring power of heritage. Each decree, whether a formal statute or an unspoken societal mandate, sought to diminish a profound aspect of self, to sever the deep connection between Black and mixed-race people and their ancestral narratives. Yet, through every attempt at suppression, a spirit of resilience bloomed. The story of textured hair is not merely one of oppression; it is a vibrant chronicle of survival, ingenuity, and a relentless commitment to self-definition.

From the forced shaving of heads that sought to erase identity upon arrival in new lands, to the deliberate elegance of the tignon that transformed a symbol of subjugation into a crown of defiance, to the modern legislative battles for the CROWN Act, the journey of textured hair is a living archive. It holds the wisdom of ancestors who understood hair as a spiritual conduit, a social identifier, and a canvas for artistry. It carries the echoes of communal rituals, of hands tending to coils and strands, passing down knowledge and love across generations.

This is the Soul of a Strand: a recognition that within each curl, each loc, each braid, resides not only biological wonder but also centuries of shared experience, unyielding beauty, and triumphant heritage. Our understanding of these historical laws deepens our appreciation for the tenacity of a people who, against all odds, continue to honor the sacred crown they wear, a luminous beacon of identity and cultural pride.

![This evocative portrait immortalizes resilience, revealing an elder](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/resilient-elders-textured-legacy-natural-coils-high-porosity-hair-aesthetics.jpg)

![The pumice stone](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pumice-stone-texture-close-up-for-porosity-comparison-in-hair.jpg)

## References

- Byrd, A. & Tharps, L. (2014). Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America. St. Martin’s Press.

- Caldwell, P. M. (1991). A Hair Piece: Perspectives on the Intersection of Race and Gender. Duke Law Journal, 1991(2), 365-396.

- Dabiri, E. (2020). Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture. Harper Perennial.

- Morrison, A. (2022). Black Hair Haptics: Touch and Transgressing the Black Body. Journal of Black Studies, 53(1), 82-98.

- Ngandu-Kalenga Greensword, C. (2022). The Tignon Law: How Black Women Formed Decor Out of Oppression. NOIR ‘N NOLA.

- Stoler, A. L. (2001). Rethinking Colonial Categories: European Communities and the Boundaries of Rule. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 43(1), 7-44.

- Wanzer, L. (Ed.). (2023). Trauma, Tresses, and Truth: Untangling Our Hair Through Personal Narratives. Chicago Review Press.

- Wiecek, W. M. (1977). The Statutory Law of Slavery and Race in the Thirteenth Colonies. Greenwood Press.

## Glossary

### [Transatlantic Slave Trade](https://roothea.co/area/transatlantic-slave-trade/)

Meaning ❉ The Transatlantic Slave Trade represents a deeply impactful historical period, where the forced displacement of African peoples significantly altered the lineage of textured hair understanding.

### [Slave Trade](https://roothea.co/area/slave-trade/)

Meaning ❉ The term 'Slave Trade' refers to the systematic, forced transportation of African people across the Atlantic, a historical practice that deeply separated communities from their indigenous lands and ancestral ways of life.

### [Black Women](https://roothea.co/area/black-women/)

Meaning ❉ Black women, as central figures in textured hair understanding, gently guide the comprehension of coily and kinky strands.

### [Cultural Hair Oppression](https://roothea.co/area/cultural-hair-oppression/)

Meaning ❉ Cultural Hair Oppression describes the societal imposition of standards that dismiss or diminish the inherent beauty and distinct characteristics of textured hair, especially for those with Black and mixed-race heritage.

### [Early American Oppression](https://roothea.co/area/early-american-oppression/)

Meaning ❉ Early American Oppression, within the realm of textured hair, points to the historical epoch where systemic societal pressures and resource limitations subtly altered the trajectory of understanding and care for Black and mixed hair types.

### [Textured Hair](https://roothea.co/area/textured-hair/)

Meaning ❉ Textured hair describes the natural hair structure characterized by its unique curl patterns, ranging from expansive waves to closely wound coils, a common trait across individuals of Black and mixed heritage.

### [Head Coverings](https://roothea.co/area/head-coverings/)

Meaning ❉ Head Coverings, within the discourse of textured hair understanding, represent a considered application of protective principles, extending beyond mere adornment to safeguard the delicate structure of Black and mixed hair types.

### [Colonial Oppression](https://roothea.co/area/colonial-oppression/)

Meaning ❉ Colonial oppression, within the sphere of textured hair, points to the enduring societal influences stemming from historical periods of dominance, which significantly shaped perceptions and practices concerning Black and mixed-race hair.

### [CROWN Act](https://roothea.co/area/crown-act/)

Meaning ❉ The CROWN Act establishes legal protections against discrimination based on hair texture and styles frequently worn by individuals of Black or mixed heritage.

### [Historical Hair Laws](https://roothea.co/area/historical-hair-laws/)

Meaning ❉ Historical Hair Laws denote the past socio-legal strictures and informal societal conventions that historically sought to regulate or restrict the natural appearance of hair, disproportionately affecting individuals with Black and mixed-race hair textures.

## Explore Your Heritage

### [How Did Historical Oppression Influence the Evolution of Protective Styling in Textured Hair?](https://roothea.co/question/how-did-historical-oppression-influence-the-evolution-of-protective-styling-in-textured-hair/)
![This monochromatic portrait captures a striking woman with intricately sculpted textured hair, celebrating the beauty and artistry of natural hair formations. The elegant style reflects ancestral heritage while embracing contemporary beauty standards, resonating with themes of self-expression and hair wellness.](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/elegant-portrait-of-a-woman-with-sculpted-textured-hair-style.jpg)

### [How Did Early Colonial Laws Suppress Textured Hair Expression?](https://roothea.co/question/how-did-early-colonial-laws-suppress-textured-hair-expression/)
![This striking black and white portrait celebrates natural hair expression through intricate cornrow designs styled into tight coils. The image echoes historical braiding traditions, elevated by contemporary styling and sharp makeup, merging ancestral artistry with modern aesthetics and showcasing the beauty and versatility of Black hair traditions.](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/elegant-cornrows-and-defined-edges-portrait-showing-natural-hair-artistry.jpg)

### [How Do Historical Laws Influence Contemporary Textured Hair Discrimination?](https://roothea.co/question/how-do-historical-laws-influence-contemporary-textured-hair-discrimination/)
![Through expressive braiding and adornments, the portrait captures the essence of cultural identity and beauty standards. The monochromatic palette accentuates the intricate details of the braids, symbolic of resilience and the enduring legacy of Black hair traditions and holistic hair care practices.](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/monochrome-portrait-of-a-young-woman-with-braided-hair-and-feathers.jpg)

### [In What Ways Do Modern Laws Seek to Protect Textured Hair as Cultural Heritage?](https://roothea.co/question/in-what-ways-do-modern-laws-seek-to-protect-textured-hair-as-cultural-heritage/)
![The repetitive arrangement of bamboo stalks, accentuated by light and shadow, creates a visually captivating texture, resonating with the interwoven narrative of heritage. These stalks mirror the strength found in traditional hair care philosophies, reflecting holistic approaches to textured hair health and expressiveness.](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/abstract-bamboo-texture-demonstrating-natural-patterns-of-growth-and.jpg)

### [What Historical Evidence Supports Hair as a Resistance Tool?](https://roothea.co/question/what-historical-evidence-supports-hair-as-a-resistance-tool/)
![Radiant smiles reflect connection as textured hair is meticulously braided affirming cultural heritage, community and the art of expressive styling. This moment underscores the deep rooted tradition of Black hair care as self care, celebrating identity and skilled artistry in textured hair formation for wellness.](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/women-braiding-textured-hair-black-hair-traditions-expressive-styling-portrait.jpg)

### [How Do Laws Protect Textured Hair?](https://roothea.co/question/how-do-laws-protect-textured-hair/)
![Expert hands meticulously sectioning afro-textured hair for a protective style application highlights the dedication to preserving ancestral heritage, showcasing the intertwined beauty and holistic wellness within Black hair traditions, and affirming the deep connection to care practices and expressive artistry.](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stylists-hands-precisely-sectioning-textured-hair-for-protective-style.jpg)

### [What Enduring Impact Did the Tignon Laws Have on Modern Textured Hair Care?](https://roothea.co/question/what-enduring-impact-did-the-tignon-laws-have-on-modern-textured-hair-care/)
![The portrait of this woman radiates confidence, her Afro](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/striking-portrait-of-woman-with-afro-textured-hair-in-black-and-white.jpg)

### [How Have Laws Affirmed Textured Hair Heritage?](https://roothea.co/question/how-have-laws-affirmed-textured-hair-heritage/)
![Illuminated by stark contrast, the portrait highlights the beauty of coiled texture. Her unwavering gaze, combined with the visual contrast, speaks to cultural narratives, empowerment and the celebration of ancestral black hair traditions while embracing mixed-race hair narratives and styles.](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/striking-black-and-white-portrait-revealing-strength-resilience-and-textured.jpg)

### [What Is the Historical Impact of Tignon Laws on Black Hair Heritage?](https://roothea.co/question/what-is-the-historical-impact-of-tignon-laws-on-black-hair-heritage/)
![The image captures the deliberate act of adjusting a silk turban, reflecting protective styling](https://roothea.co/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/woman-adjusting-silk-turban-protective-style-for-natural-hair-care.jpg)

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                "text": "The contemporary landscape, marked by the rise of the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair), stands as a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of these historical struggles. The CROWN Act, first signed into law in California in 2019, explicitly prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and protective styles such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in workplaces and public schools. This legislation did not arise in a vacuum; it is a direct response to the ongoing reality that Black individuals, particularly women and children, continue to face bias, job denial, and educational exclusion due to their natural hair. Studies indicate that Black women are significantly more likely to be sent home or fired from work because of their hair, and Black children in majority-white schools frequently experience race-based hair discrimination."
            }
        }
    ]
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "WebPage",
    "@id": "https://roothea.co/question/what-specific-historical-laws-targeted-textured-hair-as-a-tool-of-oppression/",
    "mentions": [
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/transatlantic-slave-trade/",
            "name": "Transatlantic Slave Trade",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/transatlantic-slave-trade/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ The Transatlantic Slave Trade represents a deeply impactful historical period, where the forced displacement of African peoples significantly altered the lineage of textured hair understanding."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/black-hair/",
            "name": "Black Hair",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/black-hair/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Black Hair describes the spectrum of hair textures primarily found within communities of African heritage, recognized by its distinct curl patterns ❉ from expansive waves to tightly coiled formations ❉ and an often elliptical follicle shape, which fundamentally shapes its unique growth trajectory."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/textured-hair/",
            "name": "Textured Hair",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/textured-hair/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Textured hair describes the natural hair structure characterized by its unique curl patterns, ranging from expansive waves to closely wound coils, a common trait across individuals of Black and mixed heritage."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/oppression/",
            "name": "Oppression",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/oppression/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Oppression, within the gentle understanding of textured hair, speaks to the systemic pressures and historical currents that have, over time, subtly restricted the natural growth, authentic expression, and confident care of Black and mixed-race hair."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/head-coverings/",
            "name": "Head Coverings",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/head-coverings/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Head Coverings, within the discourse of textured hair understanding, represent a considered application of protective principles, extending beyond mere adornment to safeguard the delicate structure of Black and mixed hair types."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/black-women/",
            "name": "Black Women",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/black-women/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Black women, as central figures in textured hair understanding, gently guide the comprehension of coily and kinky strands."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/tignon-law/",
            "name": "Tignon Law",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/tignon-law/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ The Tignon Law, enacted in 1786 in Spanish colonial Louisiana, mandated that free women of color conceal their hair with a tignon, or head covering."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/protective-styles/",
            "name": "Protective Styles",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/protective-styles/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Protective Styles denote a thoughtful strategy in textured hair care, meticulously crafted to shield the hair's more vulnerable lengths from routine manipulation and environmental exposure."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/hair-texture/",
            "name": "Hair Texture",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/hair-texture/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Hair Texture identifies the inherent physical configuration of individual hair strands, from gentle waves to tightly coiled patterns, a fundamental characteristic for those with Black and mixed heritage hair."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/crown-act/",
            "name": "CROWN Act",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/crown-act/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ The CROWN Act establishes legal protections against discrimination based on hair texture and styles frequently worn by individuals of Black or mixed heritage."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/hair-discrimination/",
            "name": "Hair Discrimination",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/hair-discrimination/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Hair Discrimination, a subtle yet impactful bias, refers to the differential and often unfavorable treatment of individuals based on the natural characteristics or chosen styles of their hair, especially those textures and forms historically worn by Black and mixed-race persons."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/slave-trade/",
            "name": "Slave Trade",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/slave-trade/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ The term 'Slave Trade' refers to the systematic, forced transportation of African people across the Atlantic, a historical practice that deeply separated communities from their indigenous lands and ancestral ways of life."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/cultural-hair-oppression/",
            "name": "Cultural Hair Oppression",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/cultural-hair-oppression/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Cultural Hair Oppression describes the societal imposition of standards that dismiss or diminish the inherent beauty and distinct characteristics of textured hair, especially for those with Black and mixed-race heritage."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/early-american-oppression/",
            "name": "Early American Oppression",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/early-american-oppression/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Early American Oppression, within the realm of textured hair, points to the historical epoch where systemic societal pressures and resource limitations subtly altered the trajectory of understanding and care for Black and mixed hair types."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/colonial-oppression/",
            "name": "Colonial Oppression",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/colonial-oppression/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Colonial oppression, within the sphere of textured hair, points to the enduring societal influences stemming from historical periods of dominance, which significantly shaped perceptions and practices concerning Black and mixed-race hair."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "@id": "https://roothea.co/area/historical-hair-laws/",
            "name": "Historical Hair Laws",
            "url": "https://roothea.co/area/historical-hair-laws/",
            "description": "Meaning ❉ Historical Hair Laws denote the past socio-legal strictures and informal societal conventions that historically sought to regulate or restrict the natural appearance of hair, disproportionately affecting individuals with Black and mixed-race hair textures."
        }
    ]
}
```


---

**Original URL:** https://roothea.co/question/what-specific-historical-laws-targeted-textured-hair-as-a-tool-of-oppression/
