The Just Deeds Project

It’s 2024. Have you checked your deed for racial covenants?

Racially restrictive deeds have been part of Minneapolis’s history for over 100 years. A precursor to redlining, the first racially restrictive deed arrived in Minneapolis in 1910. This deed declared that “…the premises shall not at any time be conveyed, mortgaged or leased to any person or persons of Chinese, Japanese, Moorish, Turkish, Negro, Mongolian or African blood or descent.” Deeds like this one barred homeowners from selling or renting their properties to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) folks.

This resulted in BIPOC residents being segregated into neighborhoods with fewer green spaces, medical facilities, grocery stores, and other vital resources. Racially restrictive deeds also prevented residents from obtaining mortgages and building wealth–problems that still persist today. Conversely, the homeownership rate of white Minnesota residents is three times that of Black residents.

In 1968, racial covenants were finally outlawed. Yet many deeds still contain this harmful language. From 2019-2020, the University of Minnesota Mapping Prejudice team found over 8,000 racial covenants in the City of Minneapolis. In 2019, legislation was passed to help residents respond to racial covenants in their homes. Soon after, the City of Golden Valley officially introduced the Just Deeds Project and the Just Deeds Coalition. This project helps City of Minneapolis homeowners identify and remove racial covenants from their deeds.

Minneapolis residents can check if their property has a racially restrictive deed on this map. To participate in the Just Deeds program, fill out the online application. There is no cost to participate.