This very matter gave rise to the Tignon Law 1786!!!!!
A “law” of sorts that demanded women of color in Louisiana to cover their hair with a fabric cloth starting in 1789 as a part of what was called the Bando du buen gobierno (Edict for Good Government). What these rules were meant to do was try to curtail the growing influence of the free black population and keep the social order of the time. The edict included sections specifically about the changing of certain “unacceptable” behaviors of the free black women in the colony including putting an end to what he and others believed to be the overly ostentatious hairstyles of these ladies which drew the attention of white men, and the jealousy of white women.
A “law” of sorts that demanded women of color in Louisiana to cover their hair with a fabric cloth starting in 1789 as a part of what was called the Bando du buen gobierno (Edict for Good Government). What these rules were meant to do was try to curtail the growing influence of the free black population and keep the social order of the time. The edict included sections specifically about the changing of certain “unacceptable” behaviors of the free black women in the colony including putting an end to what he and others believed to be the overly ostentatious hairstyles of these ladies which drew the attention of white men, and the jealousy of white women.
These
rules are called the “Tignon Laws” A tignon (pronounced “tiyon”) is a
headdress. Apparently, women of color were wearing their hair in such
fabulous ways, adding jewels and feathers to their high hairdos and
walking around with such beauty and pride that it was obscuring their
status. This was very threatening to the social stability (read: white
population) of the area at the time. The law was meant to distinguish
women of color from their white counterparts and to minimize their
beauty.
So
"Black" and multi racial women began to adopt the tignon, but not
without a little ingenuity. Many tied the tignon in elaborate ways and
used beautiful fabrics and other additions to the headdress to make them
appealing. In the end, what was meant to draw less attention to them
made these ladies even more beautiful and alluring.........:)
#devotional
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