Final answer:
Restrictive covenants are provisions in property deeds that can regulate land use, often reinforcing neighborhood standards. Initially used for racial segregation, they were ruled unconstitutional in 1948. Nevertheless, discriminatory practices in housing continued through tactics like mortgage discrimination, persisting in more covert ways.
Step-by-step explanation:
Restrictive covenants are conditions written into a property deed that regulate the use of the land in some way, often used to uphold certain standards within a neighborhood. For example, they can dictate architectural styles, minimum sizes of dwellings, or prevent various activities deemed undesirable for the community.
History of Restrictive Covenants: After the Civil War, restrictive covenants became a common means to enforce racial segregation in housing. While initially more blatant legal restrictions were used, these were ruled unconstitutional. Consequently, more subtle forms like restrictive covenants in deeds were employed to inhibit African Americans and other ethnic groups from purchasing homes in certain areas. This practice was prevalent for many years until the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948 found these covenants themselves to be unconstitutional.
Despite the illegality of such discriminatory practices, tactics to maintain segregation continued with real estate professionals and banks often being complicit in these actions. Mortgage discrimination and refusal to sell property to ethnic minorities in certain neighborhoods are examples of these ongoing practices which have evolved and sometimes persist in less overt forms today.