CROWN Day Key Messaging
Created to commemorate the anniversary of the first signing of The CROWN Act into law in the U.S., we recognize July 3rd as National CROWN Day.
Every year, we celebrate National CROWN Day with events that engage and uplift the Black community, while celebrating natural and protective hairstyles without fear of judgment or consequence and mobilizing support for legislation in all 50 states.
In 2019, Dove commissioned a study that found that Black women are 1.5x more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair.
Black women were also 80% more likely to change their hair from its natural state to fit into the office setting. This is unacceptable and must change.
In 2021, Dove commissioned a new study that unveiled the alarming rate at which Black girls experience hair discrimination in schools. The Dove CROWN Research Study for Girls found that
66% of Black girls in majority-white school environments report having experienced hair bias and discrimination; 87% of those girls who experience discrimination in majority-white schools face discrimination by the age of 12
100% of Black elementary school girls in majority-white schools who report experiencing hair discrimination state they experienced the discrimination by the age of 10
53% of Black mothers whose daughters have experienced hair discrimination say their daughters experienced the discrimination as early as five years old
Fueled by these findings, along with countless stories and experiences of race-based hair discrimination by the Black community, Dove co-founded The CROWN Coalition in 2019 to advocate for the passing of The CROWN Act: legislation which prohibits race-based hair discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles, including braids, locs, twists and knots, in the workplace and in K-12 public and charter schools.
CROWN stands for Creating and Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.
Founding members of The CROWN Coalition include Dove, National Urban League, Color of Change, and Western Center on Law & Poverty.
The CROWN Coalition includes over 100 community and advocacy organizations that have done significant work in the Black community for years to drive real, actionable change.
Together with The CROWN Coalition, Dove is committed to driving awareness of the issue of race-based hair discrimination, advocating for CROWN Act petition signatures (with a goal of reaching 1 million signatures) and supporting education and cultural change that celebrates and elevates the beauty of Black hair.
The CROWN Act legislation (and/or Executive Orders) inspired by the CROWN Act has been enacted in 26 states and 50 municipalities, positively impacting the lives of more than 30 million Black people in the US.
The states are California, New York, New Jersey (2019); Virginia, Colorado, Washington, Maryland (2020); Connecticut, Delaware, New Mexico*, Nebraska*, Nevada, Oregon*, Illinois* (2021); Maine, Tennessee*, Louisiana*, Alaska*, Massachusetts (2022), Minnesota, Arkansas, Texas, Michigan (2023), and Vermont (2024). A CROWN-inspired Executive Order is in place in Arizona (2023) and Kentucky (2024).
*Legislation inspired by the CROWN Act.Federal legislation was reintroduced in 2024 in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 2116) by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) in the U.S. Senate (S. 888) by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Join Dove and The CROWN Coalition to end race-based hair discrimination and #PasstheCROWN in the US (and worldwide) by sharing your #CROWNLove on Wednesday, July 3rd, and signing The CROWN Act petition at Dove.com/CROWN.
SOCIAL MESSAGES:
Share why you love your hair using #CROWNLove
Show your support to end race-based hair discrimination by signing the petition at dove.com/CROWN. Join the movement and help us #PassTheCROWN.
