Tennessee: The CROWN Act (SB2536)
Adopted: May 2022 Bill Number: SB2536 Governor: Bill Lee Status: Enacted
Tennessee enacted its CROWN Act in May 2022 when Governor Bill Lee signed SB2536. Governor Lee, a Republican, added Tennessee to the growing list of states with bipartisan CROWN Act adoption, extending protections to one of the South’s most populous states.
Key Provisions
Tennessee Human Rights Act amendment. SB2536 amends the state’s anti-discrimination framework to include hair texture and protective hairstyles within the definition of race.
Employment coverage. The legislation primarily covers employment discrimination, protecting workers from adverse employment actions based on natural hair texture and protective hairstyles.
Tennessee Human Rights Commission. The commission has jurisdiction over complaints of hair-related employment discrimination under the amended statute.
Tennessee Context
Tennessee’s adoption was significant for the South. With approximately 1.1 million Black residents, the state has a substantial African American population concentrated in Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga. Memphis, with a majority-Black population, has a particularly strong connection to civil rights history and ongoing struggles against racial discrimination.
Nashville’s growth as a corporate and entertainment hub, attracting diverse talent from across the country, added economic relevance. Companies headquartered or expanding in Nashville face grooming policy questions that the legislation now addresses.
Governor Lee’s signature demonstrated continued Republican support for hair discrimination protections, reinforcing the bipartisan pattern seen in Maryland, Nebraska, and other states. For the CROWN Act movement’s full trajectory, see the timeline.
For detailed legal analysis of Tennessee’s CROWN Act provisions, contact contact@crown.ngo.