Michigan outlaws hair discrimination with historic CROWN Act

Michigan has passed the Crown Act, which prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles in employment, housing, education, and public accommodations. The law will ban the denial of employment or educational opportunities due to discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles, such as Afros, cornrows, or dreadlocks. Michigan is the 23rd state to pass a version of the Crown Act. The law was passed with bipartisan support after previous attempts failed in the Republican-led Legislature. Supporters of the law have pointed to a 2019 study by Dove that showed one in five Black women working in office or sales settings have said they had to alter their natural hair.