This Day in History: 1921-05-04

The Chicago Real Estate Board votes unanimously to expel members from the board who sold property to Black families in neighborhoods where white people lived. The president of the board, M. L. Smith, openly expressed his commitment to maintaining segregation throughout Chicago and advocated for a plan to exclude Black families from most of Chicago’s available housing. Within a decade, close to 90% of Chicago neighborhoods were covered by covenants restricting access for Black people. White real estate associations, homeowners, and politicians in Chicago remained committed to residential segregation well into the later half of the twentieth century. Learn more.