Dove and The Crown Coalition are giving those of us with natural hair a big reason to celebrate our beautiful curls and coils next month.
The two companies have announced that National CROWN Day, which takes place on July 3rd, has been expanded to a two-week celebration to commemorate the inaugural signing of the first CROWN Act (July 3rd, 2019), a movement and law intended to “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” This year’s celebrations, which marks the fourth CROWN Day, kicked-off during the 2023 BET Awards, followed by several signature events during the ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans, LA.
The annual CROWN Awards, taking place on Sunday, July 2nd, will be the hallmark event of National CROWN Day. Hosted by Tai Beauchamp, the ceremony will “highlight the extraordinary strength, grace, and impact of notable Black women and girls—both at the forefront and behind the scenes of change—whose talents and leadership help advance the legacy of Black beauty and brilliance,” according to a press release from the coalition. Some of the CROWN Awards honorees and attendees include Caroline Wang, Camille Friend, MC Lyte, Quvenzhané Wallis, Michelle Miller, Lynae Vanee, Tabitha Brown, and Kym Whitley.
“Dove is proud to return to the ESSENCE Festival of Culture to celebrate the continued progress that has been made to end hair discrimination in the U.S.,” stated Esi Eggleston Bracey, President of Unilever U.S. & CEO of Unilever Personal Care, NA. “While there is much to celebrate with 23 states and 50 municipalities that have passed CROWN legislation, there is still work to be done to ensure protections and inclusivity. We look forward to uplifting Black women and girls who are standing proudly in their full, unapologetic beauty as part of this year’s fourth annual CROWN Day festivities.”
As part of this year’s CROWN Day celebration, Dove will also be inviting newscasters across the country to wear their natural and protective styles on air and on their social channels on Monday, July 3rd to represent the beauty and diversity of Black hair on air. But that’s not all that Dove and The Crown Coalition have in store for everyone. Keep scrolling for a look at some other National CROWN Day celebrations that have already happened or will be happening:
- June 12: Beloved children’s YouTube series Gracie’s Corner releases special “Gracie’s CROWN” episode, spotlighting the importance of loving and celebrating your hair.
- June 21-24: Black@Cannes CROWN Conversations focused on normalizing natural hairstyles on screen and shifting culture.
- June 25: 2023 BET Awards in-show video to affirm that Black hair IS professional.
- June 30: ESSENCE Beautycon “For the Love of Black Beauty” Panel featuring award-winning actor Kym Whitley, celebrity hairstylist Camille Friend, and Dove Self-Esteem Project Educator Dre Brown.
- July 2: Third annual CROWN Awards, hosted by Tai Beauchamp, and honoring trailblazers and gamechangers across various fields.
- July 3: National CROWN Day — Black Hair Independence Day will kick-off with a “CROWNs & Conversations” breakfast celebration in New Orleans, LA. Newscasters from across the U.S. will wear their natural and protective styles on-air and take to social media to post photos of their #NaturalHairOnAir. All celebrating National CROWN Day are invited to post photos and videos using #CROWNProud.
To learn more about the CROWN movement, be sure to visit Dove.com/CROWN or follow @thecrownact on Instagram. And, don’t forget to tag #CROWNProud on all CROWN Day celebration posts.
