Shelley v. Kraemer

Shelley v. Kraemer: Introduction

In 1945, J.D. Shelley and his family purchased a new home in St. Louis, Missouri. Unbeknownst to the Shelley family, the home’s deed contained a racially restrictive covenant legally restricting ownership of the home to only white buyers. The ensuing Supreme court case determined the futures of Black families such as the Shelleys, as well as other families of color across the United States who currently resided in or sought to buy homes whose deeds contained such clauses. Shelley v. Kraemer successfully challenged state’s abilities to enforce these covenants, altering legal understandings of the 14th Amendment, and changing the future of housing integration.

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