Final answer:
The restriction in the deeds that prohibited sale to non-Caucasians is an example of a racially discriminatory restrictive covenant, which was historically used in the U.S. to enforce racial segregation in housing. Although declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1948, the legacy of these covenants has had lasting effects on American society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The restriction mentioned in the question is an example of a restrictive covenant, which is a clause included in a deed that limits what can be done with the property. Historically, such covenants often targeted African Americans and other minority groups by preventing property owners from selling or renting to them. This practice was part of systemic discriminatory practices in the United States housing market.
Restrictive covenants, including those based on race, were declared unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case Shelley v. Kraemer in 1948. However, the discriminatory intent behind such covenants, as in the subdivision that Williams owned, was part of a broader pattern of racial segregation in housing that had profound and lasting effects on American society.
Despite their unconstitutionality, these restrictive covenants remained in some property deeds even after the Supreme Court ruling, and their legacy contributed to the racial segregation seen in many American cities, influencing distribution of wealth, education, and opportunity for decades.