Documents 25.1 and 25.2 Living the Suburban Dream: Two Views
Living the Suburban Dream: Two Views
The postwar suburban boom eased housing shortages and gave millions the benefits of home ownership. In the 1950s, William Levitt built low-cost homes in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. The following publicity photo for Levittown, Pennsylvania, just northeast of Philadelphia, is targeted at blue-collar workers. However, suburban developments largely excluded African Americans and other minorities. The restrictive covenant reprinted here is from Innis Arden, a suburban development created by the aircraft manufacturer William E. Boeing outside of Seattle, Washington. This restriction, written in 1941, remained in effect for several decades.
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| 25.1 | Levittown Advertisement, 1950s |
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| 25.2 | Restrictive Covenant for Innis Arden, Seattle, 1941 |
RACIAL RESTRICTIONS. No property in said addition shall at any time be sold, conveyed, rented, or leased in whole or in part to any person or persons not of the White or Caucasian race. No person other than one of the White or Caucasian race shall be permitted to occupy any property in said addition or portion thereof or building thereon except a domestic servant actually employed by a person of the White or Caucasian race where the latter is an occupant of such property.
ANIMALS. No hogs, cattle, horses, sheep, goats, or similar livestock shall be permitted or maintained on said property at any time. Chicken hens, pigeons, rabbits, and other similar small livestock not exceeding a total of twenty-five in number, shall be permitted but must be kept on the premises of the owner. Not more than one dog and cat may be kept for each building site.
Source: “Segregated Seattle,” Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project, http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/segregated.htm.
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