Designates September 15 of each year as "World Afro Day" in NJ.

SJR110

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 110

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 12, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates September 15 of each year as �World Afro
Day� in NJ.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A Joint
Resolution
designating September 15 of each
year as �World Afro Day� in New Jersey.

Whereas,

Beginning on September 15, 2017 in the United Kingdom, World Afro Day has stood
as a celebration of natural hair and as an educational event to teach about
Afro hair; and

Whereas,

September 15 holds significance because it marks the day in 2016 when the 11th
Circuit Court of Appeals first upheld the rescinding of a job offer for
Chastity Jones, who had her job offer rescinded for refusing to cut her
dreadlocks; and

Whereas,

The organization World Afro Day has worked to end discrimination relating to
hair through hosting events, drafting resources, and conducting research; and

Whereas,

Afro hair has been the focus of discrimination and bias for centuries, which
has led to unfair disadvantages in school, the workplace, and exclusion for
people wearing their hair as it grows from their head; and

Whereas,

Students have been punished and singled out for Afro hairstyles and have faced
discrimination as well as encountered barriers to learning for wearing certain
hairstyles; and

Whereas,

World Afro Day provides educators with resources to combat hair discrimination
and help students maintain access to learning; and

Whereas,

Mainstream representations of Afro hair have been lacking for many years,
leading children to idealize a certain concept of beauty and believe they
cannot attain such a standard; and

Whereas,

Children may also feel pressure to fit in and to conform their appearance by
changing the way their hair looks, lowering their self-esteem; and

Whereas,

Afro hair deserves to be celebrated and for its beauty and children should be
able to be confident and proud of the way they look and of their heritage; and

Whereas,

In 2019 the �Create a Respectful and Open Workspace for Natural Hair Act,� also
known as the CROWN Act, became law in this State; and

Whereas,

New Jersey celebrates all of its residents and strives to create a safe and
inclusive environment to live, work, and encourage learning for all; now,
therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� September 15 of each year
is designated �World Afro Day� in New Jersey to recognize and celebrate Afro
hair and encourage learning and inclusivity within this State.

���� 2.� The Governor is
respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation recognizing September
15 as �World Afro Day� in New Jersey and calling upon institutions of learning
and culture to observe the day with appropriate activities and programs.

���� 3.� This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This joint resolution
designates September 15 of each year as �World Afro Day� in New Jersey.�
Beginning on September 15, 2017 in the United Kingdom, World Afro Day has stood
as a celebration of natural hair and as an educational event to teach about Afro
hair.� The date was chosen to mark the day in 2016 when the 11th Circuit Court
of Appeals upheld the rescinding of a job offer for Chastity Jones, who had her
job offer rescinded for refusing to cut her dreadlocks.� The court later
withdrew this opinion and issued a revised opinion with the same outcome.

���� The organization World Afro
Day provides educational resources and hosts events to teach about natural hair
and end hair discrimination.� Afro hairstyles have been discriminated against
for centuries.� This has led to exclusion, bias, and low self-esteem.� New
Jersey recognized this problem and passed the �Create a Respectful and Open
Workspace for Natural Hair Act� in 2019.� Positive representations of natural
hair and shifting perspectives on natural hair are crucial to creating an
inclusive and welcoming environment where all residents of New Jersey can
thrive.