Researchers, especially those interested in diversity and equity science, now have a unique opportunity to collaborate with the Aaron Ammons, Champaign County Clerk and Recorder’s Office on housing discrimination and restrictive covenants. The office is working on an initiative to strike discriminatory language from property documents and is eager to partner with Illinois researchers to understand the myriad impacts of restrictive covenants in Champaign-Urbana. 

Through the Restrictive Covenants Project, the Clerk and Recorder’s Office has collated detailed GIS data and historical property records of the legacy of racially restrictive covenants in Champaign County. These covenants, once common across the country, legally barred racial and ethnic minorities from owning property. The implications of these restrictions, although now illegal, continue to reverberate today, influencing patterns of residential segregation, wealth distribution, and inequality in health and education outcomes. The Clerk and Recorder’s Office is now making this data available to Illinois researchers to study the effect of restrictive covenants. 

What are Discriminatory Restrictive Covenants?  

Discriminatory restrictive covenants are legal agreements that were embedded in property deeds, often with clauses such as: 

“No part thereof will be sold or loaned either in whole or in part to, or permitted to be occupied as owner or tenant by, any person not of the Caucasian race.” 
“The premises mentioned herein and/or any lot or lots or any interest therein, or improvements thereon. Shall never be sold, leased, rented to, or occupied by any person of the Negro race.” 

These legally enforced agreements played a significant role in shaping the urban landscape of the 20th century, particularly in response to the Great Migration. As Black Americans moved from the rural South to cities in the North, Midwest, and West, covenants were implemented to maintain racial homogeneity and prevent minority groups from entering certain neighborhoods. 

Historical Context and Current Impacts 

While the U.S. Supreme Court declared restrictive covenants unenforceable in court in 1948 (Shelley v. Kraemer), the ruling preserved the legality of private agreements, allowing these discriminatory clauses to persist in property documents for decades. It was not until the Fair Housing Act in 1968 that housing discrimination, including restrictive covenants, was explicitly outlawed. 

Yet, the impact of these covenants continues to shape the landscape of communities like Champaign County. The racial segregation, homeownership gaps, and disparities in property values that began under the restrictive covenant system persist in systemic and subtle ways. Communities with histories of exclusionary practices like these often face ongoing challenges related to housing insecurity, health, and educational outcomes. 

A Tool for Researchers 

The Champaign County Clerk and Recorder’s Office offers GIS data and historical records on the 19 subdivisions and over 900 properties in Champaign County that still bear evidence of these covenants. This data is an invaluable tool for social and behavioral science researchers examining the enduring impacts of structural racism, residential segregation, and economic inequality. 

The Restrictive Covenant Project is not only about removing harmful language from property records, but also about encouraging public awareness and dialogue. Residents and property owners can petition to strike these clauses from their deeds, though the language remains visible to preserve the historical record. The Restrictive Covenant Project provides a platform for exploring how historical policies continue to affect contemporary society, particularly in areas like residential zoning, wealth accumulation, and racial health disparities.  

Whether you’re studying the spatial distribution of racial covenants, exploring historical patterns of segregation, or investigating the ongoing economic effects of these legal structures, the office has data available that could enhance your work. The Champaign County Clerk and Recorder’s Office’s data can provide a localized perspective for research, adding depth to national conversations about the legacy of housing discrimination and segregation. 

This project is like others across the country, such as the Minnesota Mapping Prejudice Project, which demonstrates how racial covenants shaped urban development. Earlier this year, Rebecca Walker, Assistant Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, published results from a study on restrictive covenants in Minneapolis and their environmental impacts.  

For more information on accessing the data or to learn how your research could support efforts to strike discriminatory language from local property records, contact CSBS Research Development Manager Elsa Augustine (elsaa@illinois.edu), or Katie Barber with the Champaign County Clerk and Recorder’s Office (kbarber@champaigncountyil.gov).