Here are several instances of workplace discrimination suits against cornrows:
- In 1981 a ticket agent for American Airlines was fired for wearing cornrows. The judge refused her argument of the style representing African heritage due to her donning the hairstyle so recently after the release of the movie 10. (see the cornrow “controversy” here)
- In 1987, a doctoral student at the University of Illinois who worked part time at Chicago Regency Hyatt was fired upon arriving to work in cornrows. After filing a complaint, she was offered reinstatement.
- In 1988, an employee of the Marriott Hotel in DC was sent home because of her “extreme, cornrowed hairstyle.” After filing a complaint, appearing on national television, and earning the notice/support of Jessie Jackson and Bo Dereck, the hotel welcomed her back but still reserved the right to deem some cornrowed styles unacceptable.
Source and a good read:
Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America by Ayana Byrd
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Pamela Farrell was fired in 1978 for
( Taken from her site http://www.cornrowsandco.com/
wearing her braids to work too
“The people who fired Pamela Ferrell for wearing a braided hair style to work in 1978 actually did us a favor. Ferrell took the insult and turned it into a compliment, a successful natural hair care business that helps hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children look good and feel good about their naturally soft, woolly, kinky, curly hair.”
Wow. I have this book on my wish list, I really would like to read it. Thank you for sharing!
its not only places of employment. i used to go to a church (a black church with a black pastor) and he told the congregation that if we wanted to work (volunteer) in the church that we could not wear braids, cornrows, twist, or dreads. needless to say there were a lot of people upset… some conformed but a lot didn’t. considering that it is a AA church and these are styles that are the norm with the AA community… why would you band them?
Its just hair.
My son works at triple A parking services and he was sent home one day for wearing his hair in short twists. He keeps his hair well groomed and even around the sides. His so called new boss said he has to cut his hair but meanwhile there is a guy that works with him who has dreads down to his shoulders. They did not tell him that he had to cut his hair. Wouldn”t that apply to all the employes who wears dreads or twists. It is not stated in the employee policy book that you cannot wear dreads or twists or braids. Who can I contact to file a complaint or whatever action that I need to take. I can’t let this ride. he is an excellent employee and was also told that he could not work days because of his hair, but the guy with dreads could work days. So you tell me how fair is that???