Pennsylvania officially became the 28th U.S. state to adopt the CROWN Act, which legally protects Black Americans from discrimination based on their natural hair, as Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the historic bill on Tuesday. TheGrio exclusively reported on the historic signing.
Shapiro signed House Bill 439, or The Pennsylvania CROWN Act, at a local Black hair salon in Philadelphia alongside the state’s first female and Black woman speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Rep. Joanna McClinton.
“The Crown Act is more than legislation; it’s a long-awaited step toward honoring who we are. For many Black women and men, this legislation carries a deep emotional weight, because no one should be discriminated against for simply for how they choose to wear their hair,” said Sierra Dunn, executive director of Gov. Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs.
Dunn continued, “For me, it’s personal to me – from childhood memories of being teased, being judged in the workplace, to the daily decisions regarding my appearance just to feel safe or accepted. I am grateful for the leadership of Governor Shapiro, Speaker McClinton, and Rep. Mayes for advocating for future generations to grow up in a Commonwealth where all Pennsylvanians can be comfortable being who they truly are.”
The Pennsylvania CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, would prohibit discrimination based on a person’s hair type, hair texture, or hairstyle in schools, workplaces, and social venues. Other states that have banned natural hair discrimination include New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Texas. The first state to sign a CROWN Act into law was California in 2019.
Shapiro signed the bill at Island Design Natural Hair Studio and was joined by Speaker McClinton (Pa.’s 191st House District), Rep. LaTasha Mayes (Pa.’s 24th House District), co-sponsors of the legislation, Lorraine Ruley, owner of Island Design Natural Hair Studio, and Dr. Adjoa Asamoah, who developed the legislative strategy for and leads the CROWN Act movement on behalf of the CROWN Coalition, which she co-created.
“Like many Black women, I have felt pressured to wear my hair a certain way to meet someone else’s expectations. It isn’t fair, and it isn’t right. Now, when the CROWN Act becomes law, hair discrimination will be against the law in Pennsylvania,” said Speaker Joanna McClinton in a statement to theGrio.
“This is a victory for everyone who joined our movement for a more equitable commonwealth where everyone is respected, treated with dignity, and can be their authentic self. It is a victory for anyone who has felt out of place, unwelcome, or discriminated against because of their hairstyle or texture. Now we can wear our crowns with pride, and our children will grow up in a much better Pennsylvania.”
Dr. Asamoah said for eight years she has worked “tirelessly” with leaders across the country to “change laws as well as culture, and mitigate the psychological, economic, and physical harm caused by race-based hair discrimination.”
“Grooming policies that reinforce Eurocentric standards of beauty and professionalism, perpetuate exclusion and racial inequity,” she said.
The two-time Temple University graduate added, “Since determining a public policy approach was necessary to redress this problematic practice, and subsequently developing the nationwide legislative, social impact, and coalition-building strategies for the movement in 2018, I have been committed to ensuring the CROWN Act becomes law in Pennsylvania.”
Asamoah said she was “grateful” for State Sen. Vincent Hughes, Speaker McClinton, and Rep. La’Tasha Mayes, whom she applauded for being “partners in this work.”
“I applaud their leadership [and] I thank Gov. Shapiro for signing the bill in short order,” she continued.
The office of Gov. Shapiro, a former contender for Kamala Harris‘ 2024 vice presidential nomination and rumored contender for the 2028 presidential election, described the passage of The CROWN Act as a major achievement for Black Americans in the state and their civil rights.
Since entering office in 2023, Shapiro, 52, has sought to boost capital for Black and minority-owned businesses, which are major drivers for economic growth in Black and Brown communities. The Democratic governor increased the state’s spending with Black and Latino-owned businesses by 45%, rising to $150 million from $104 million in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Shapiro also secured $20 million in the Commonwealth’s annual budget for historically disadvantaged and minority-owned businesses and awarded over $21 million in grants.
Shapiro becomes the 28th governor in the United States to sign the CROWN Act into law, which comes at a time when the Trump administration has taken executive action to curb diversity programs and funding, and limit its civil rights enforcement of tools used to protect Black Americans from racial discrimination in housing, lending, employment, education, and healthcare.
