'Locked Out': A Hair Braider Fights Occupational Licensing

Melony Armstrong just wanted to earn an honest living. Armstrong had learned how to braid hair, and she had the drive to open her own salon in Tupelo, Mississippi.

What she didn't have was a state license to practice cosmetology.

Before Armstrong could open her business, the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology required her to attend a board-approved school for a 18 months at a cost of about $10,000.

Without the money to get a license, Armstrong took her passion and channeled it into a legal challenge against the cosmetology board. Her successful struggle would permanently change the way business was done in Mississippi, removing arbitrary barriers that stood in the way of hundreds of other aspiring entrepreneurs who wanted to enter the business of braiding hair.

The documentary film, 'Locked Out: A Mississippi Success Story' traces every step of Armstrong's long fight to change the law, from her humble hair salon to the statehouse. Reason TV's Nick Gillespie spoke with filmmaker Sean Malone and Melony Armstrong at FreedomFest in Las Vegas about how she sparked statewide reform.

Runs about 5:37.

Produced by Todd Krainin. Interview by Nick Gillespie. Cameras by Jim Epstein and Meredith Bragg.

[CaliforniaArchitect]

The cosmetology board consists of owners of cosmetology schools. That says it all!

[RagingGoldenEagle]

I am so glad these hair braiders are so heavily regulated!  Could you imagine the havoc a non-licensed braider could wreak if they messed up?  Glad the government has their priorities straight!

[slhines]

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
-- George Washington

[metorphoric]

This is how many black people start their own business, successful business, is by braiding and doing hair out of their basements/homes. The fact that the Gov is taking that away from them (us) is extremely upsetting. 

[BrotherWoody]

Another great example of practicing Libertarianism. Keep 'em coming.

[Ghalyah]

#MYBLACKLIFEMATTERS Becauuse of people like Melony Armstrong from Tupelo, Mississippi.. Thank you!

[MilwaukeeFC]

I'm someone who likes to break victimless laws just because.  Now I have to learn how to braid hair.

[Reathety]

Institute for Justice also has a great channel for those of you that enjoy Reason TV.

[TReeves]

The issue isn't the braiding license. The issue is that government - any government, state or Federal, can even vote on whether or not their should be something like a braiding license. Government unconstrained allows self-important politicians to meddle in every aspect of our lives.

[mmisraelite_]

as a little girl I sat for hours between my mother legs getting my hair braided in styles, my family members braided my hair adding extensions then I began braiding my own hair and my family members and friends hair with extensions and without any regulations or fines and up until this day I've been doing this and no school cannot and will not teach you something that's gifted, but yet you want to f@#@ us over by suddenly coming up with some crappie laws to further keep us in bondage and in depth?, what next is my next phase, I'm exhausted😨just hearing this let alone trying to wrap my thought process around this extremely disturbing news😫

[diamondwebb]

Why do I have to have a license to cut hair? Because I am dealing with the public and we need rules and regulations. I am a Master Cosmetologist and I pay for my license. You want to saturate the market and make the money. Just get a license like we did.

[fdk]

So you can put make-up on yourself but you put it one somebody else you need a license for $10k? What's the point of that regulation, except for preventing newcomers to the business which I'm sure was the intent of the lobbyists that pushed for it.
There's so much bullshit of this nature in the USA I'm learning. If you make cars you can't sell them yourself, you must have a third party sell them. Free enterprise? Nah, that's old school apparently.

[kjowesley]

Mississippi does not need a license to braid hair

[carolmckee]

There are good reasons for licensing, public health among them. Compromise: The business owner is herself licensed, and any chemical treatments (perms, dyes, straightening) are done only by her, or other licensed person. Any non-licensed employees must be trained in cleanliness aspect of hair styling. The shop is subject to regular state inspections against the owner's license.

[CRLhippo]

If the government sincerely wanted to improve the economy, they need to STOP all their stupid rules and regulations which make no sense.

[furiousfatman]

oh how the black community would thrive under libertarian practices.

also, first, cuz fuck yea!

-FFM

[ejonesss]

it may be more about anti terrorism as some of the cosmetology products contain chemicals that could be useful to a terrorist for example in leisure suite larry 7 hair spray and the kz jelly combine to make an explosive.

so it could be to make sure that the hair products are being used for their intended purpose.

or it could be that the products contain a chemical that could be extracted to use as a drugs pre cursor .

[diamondwebb]

All a license hair styliat wants to do is grow their business that is why they went to school to obtain a license. Raise your standards.

[alwaysdowhatsright]

This is so biased. Who funds “ReasonTV”