The groundbreaking St. Louis legal case of Shelley v Kraemer drew the attention of the country as a Black family sued after buying a home where they weren’t allowed to live.
The case dated back to 1911, when more than three dozen property owners entered into a restrictive covenant that blocked Blacks and Asians from buying property in that neighborhood.
The Shelleys didn’t know about the covenant until after they bought the home. Other homeowners sued to block them from taking possession. The high court ultimately struck down most restrictive housing covenants , ruling it discriminatory and in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Based upon content from the book Missouri 365: This Day in Missouri History by John W. Brown, broadcaster and Missouri historian. Get your copy at Reedy Press.
Photo from Unsplash
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