History has a way of turning beauty into a battlefield. In 18th-century Louisiana, the way a woman wore her hair wasn't just a personal choice—it was a matter of law.
During the late 1700s, free women of color in New Orleans were thriving. They were becoming property owners, entrepreneurs, and—perhaps most frustratingly to the colonial establishment—they were incredibly fashionable. They wore their hair in elaborate, towering styles, often adorned with jewels, feathers, and silks that rivaled (and often surpassed) the elegance of white women.
The colonial government saw this "extravagance" as a threat to the social order.
The Tignon Laws of 1786
In 1786, Governor Esteban Miró enacted the Edict of Good Government, which included a specific set of rules that became known as the Tignon Laws. These laws mandated that Black women, whether enslaved or free, cover their heads with a tignon (a headscarf or turban) to signal their "humbler" status and to hide their natural hair.
"The tignon law was intended to return the free women of color, visually and socially, to the subordinate status associated with slavery." — Virginia Gould, Historian
Resistance through Style
The law was meant to shame, but the women of New Orleans did what they have always done: they innovated.
Instead of wearing drab rags, Black women turned the tignon into a high-fashion statement. They used vibrant silks, intricate wrapping techniques, and expensive fabrics. They decorated their wraps with pins and ribbons, effectively turning a badge of subjugation into a crown of defiance. They complied with the letter of the law while completely dismantling its intent.
Why This History Matters Today
The Tignon Laws were an early iteration of hair discrimination—a precursor to the modern struggles that led to the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair). It reminds us that policing Black hair has never truly been about "professionalism" or "modesty"; it has always been about control.
The Tignon: Originally a tool of suppression.
The Result: A lasting symbol of Creole style and cultural resilience.
By understanding this history, we celebrate the fact that no law can truly dim the brilliance of self-expression.
Sources
Gould, V. (1997). "The Free Women of Color of New Orleans."
Louisiana State Museum: The Tignon Laws and the Edict of Good Government.
👮🏻♀️When White Women Made Black Beauty Illegal💅🏼🚔🚓 pic.twitter.com/beBS0kZLuS
— Jackson Harlem (@JacksonHarlem) February 5, 2026
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