Map of Ramsey County properties with racial covenants on the deed
Many properties in Ramsey County have some sort of racially restrictive language on the deed designed to limit who could own the homes.
These so-called racial covenants were drafted beginning in the early 1900s, but appeared on property deeds until the 1950s. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibited this type of discrimination, but the existence of historic property restrictions helps to illustrate how racial segregation grew and impacted Ramsey County.
Most property owners have no idea these covenants are included on their deeds.
Using public records, the University of Minnesota’s Mapping Prejudice project, in collaboration with Welcoming the Dear Neighbor? at St. Catherine’s University, has identified more than 2,000 properties in Ramsey County with racial covenants.
Does your home have a racial covenant? Click on a pin below for more details:
The Ramsey County tally is believed to be an undercount because many deeds are handwritten and illegible. Here’s a breakdown of how many racial covenants Mapping Prejudice found by city:
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