History of the Tignon Laws: A Historical Perspective
A Talk by Karla Brundage MFA , Dr. Adrienne Danyelle Oliver and Joleen Richards
About this Talk
In the United States, the policing of Black hair is not new. The Black body has been a site of political struggle since the antebellum period.
For proof of this, look no farther than Louisiana’s 18th-century tignon laws. Governor Esteban Rodriguez Miró passed these laws to stipulate that Creole women must wear head coverings to prevent them “from displaying excessive attention to dress in the streets of New Orleans.” This panel provides an overview of these laws’ history, and examines how women today have leveraged legislation meant to diminish Black women and turned it into a powerful statement that now represents a symbol of resistance, pride, cultural ownership, and celebration.