The Shelley family purchased a house in St. Louis unaware a restrictive covenant prohibited such people as the Shelley family from occupying the property. On May 3, 1948, in a unanimous 6-0 decision, the Court found in favor of the Shelley family. The Supreme Court ruled that the 14th Amendment prohibits racially restrictive housing covenants being enforced. The case was Shelley v. Kraemer. Additionally, Redlining was found to violate the Fair Housing Act of 1968 (20 years! after Shelley v. Kraemer), the Community Investment of 1977, and the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988.
It is through the enjoyment of property rights that generational wealth is created in the United States of America. I don’t know what systemic racism is but I do know that using the power of the state to enforce such restrictive covenants combined with the financial practice of redlining (Lasting Scars: The legacy of race-based redlining (daytondailynews.com) sure excluded (excludes?) some citizens from the full pursuit of happiness.
I have no idea of a solution, yet we have to acknowledge a problem before a solution can be sought. It is a complex problem and that was before the “War on Poverty” was even considered. I do know that in the meantime, people feel the crushing and severe burden of poverty. Right here and right now. That is the reason The Dakota Center was founded. Father Hoelle himself constantly saw the face of Jesus Christ in ordinary people and loved his neighbor as himself.
Today, 57 years later, we continue our founder’s dream to provide a safe, clean, and positive place to build character through service and connect community through relationships. May it always be so.
