Racially restrictive covenants are illegal, but remain in some property deeds

Lake Effect Spotlight · Nov 17, 2025 · 16m

For decades, racially restrictive covenants were a common part of deeds for Milwaukee-area homes. These were clauses that typically restricted properties from being sold to non-white people. Although these covenants have been illegal since the Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968 - their legacy remains in the high segregation we see throughout the Milwaukee-area.

An ongoing project headed by UW-Milwaukee professors Derek Handley and Anne Bonds, is mapping out where these racially restrictive covenants were, and where they remain in some property deeds. They join me now to talk about their work…