Racial Covenants and Segregation in the United States
Introduction to Racial Covenants
Event Background: In 1909, William Simpson, a Black resident, was pressured by a white neighborhood in Minneapolis to leave after buying land.
Result: This incident led to the creation of the first racially restrictive covenant in Minneapolis a few months later.
Definition and Purpose of Racial Covenants
Covenants: Legal agreements in property deeds regulating property use.
Racial Use: Used to prevent selling or leasing to certain racial and ethnic groups, especially Black people.
Spread and Legalization
Timeframe: Widely adopted between 1920 and 1950.
Prevalence: More than 25,000 homes in Minneapolis County had racial covenants.
Federal Role: The US Federal Housing Administration endorsed racial covenants in their underwriting manual.
Impact on Urban Development
Levittown, New York (1947): Prototype of postwar American suburb restricted to Caucasians, except for servants.
Suburban Expansion: Contributed to "white flight," increasing segregation and car dependency.
Government Policies and Redlining
G.I. Bill: Provided favorable lending rates, but racial covenants limited access for people of color.
Redlining: Government labeled neighborhoods of color as bad investments, making it difficult to secure mortgages.
Long-term Effects on Wealth and Health
Wealth Disparity: People of color often rented instead of owning homes, hindering wealth accumulation.
Health Impacts: Industrial development in redlined neighborhoods increased pollution-related health issues.
Legal Challenges and Ban
Court Challenges: Racial covenants were challenged and banned under the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
Current Statistics: As of 2020, homeownership rates were 74% for white families and 44% for Black families in the US.
Continuing Discrimination and Segregation
Current Issues: Discrimination persists in housing through various means, such as gentrification and exclusionary zoning.
Legacy: Despite being illegal, racial covenants' impacts are visible in existing housing deeds and urban demographics.
Conclusion
Summary: Racial covenants have played a significant role in shaping the segregation and inequality seen in US cities, affecting both wealth distribution and living conditions.
Ongoing Issues: While banned, the legacy of racial covenants continues to influence housing and demographic patterns.