The Shelley family, 1945. J.D. Shelley purchased a home in St. Louis, Missouri at 4600 Labadie Avenue 63115. At the time of purchase, they were unaware of the restrictive covenant preventing "people of the Negro or Mongolian Race" from occupying the property thus getting sued. 
Louis Kraemer, a neighbor who lived ten blocks away, sued to prevent the Shelleys from gaining possession of the property. But J.D. wouldn't take it. He took it to the supreme court.
The supreme court held that the 14th amendment guarantees individual rights, & that equal protection of the law is not achieved by the imposition of inequalities.
Shelley v. Kraemer, (1948) was a landmark Supreme Court case that held that courts could not enforce racial covenants on real estate. That's why you & I can buy houses today.
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