During the period, when black enslavement in America was at its peak, and places like New Orleans was unique in its high population of gens de couleur libres (free people of color), black women’s beauty and features often attracted white men who approached them as suitors. This enraged white women who perceived them as competitors.
Source: Tignon Law: Black Women Were Banned From Displaying Their Hair, Out Of Envy In The U.S |