In the 1700s, black women in Louisiana were known for their beautiful and elaborate hairstyles, which often attracted the attention of white men. To limit what was perceived as “excessive attention to dress” among women of color, Spanish colonial Governor Don Esteban Miró introduced the Tignon Laws. These laws required Creole women of color, including free women, to cover their hair with a tignon (a scarf or handkerchief). The law was intended to mark their social status, as it was used to indicate they belonged to the slave class, despite some of these women being free. The Tignon Laws were a reflection of the racial and social restrictions placed on women of color during this time in Louisiana’s history.
