Nearly 100 years ago, racism wasn’t just “felt” in Milwaukee—it was written into law-like language inside property deeds. In Part 2 of our conversation on Mapping Racism & Resistance in Milwaukee County, host Beverly Taylor welcomes back UW–Milwaukee professors Dr. Anne Bonds and Dr. Derek Handley to break down how racially restrictive covenants shaped neighborhoods, wealth, and opportunity and why the story isn’t complete without highlighting Black resistance, community resilience, and multiracial allies who fought back.
You’ll learn what covenants were, why they mattered even after they became unenforceable, what surprised the researchers most (including cemetery covenants), and how this living community project is helping Milwaukee understand its past and build better policy and housing futures.
Key Takeaways
- Covenants controlled housing access using legal language that enforced racial exclusion.
- Even when covenants became unenforceable (1948), the language still carried social and symbolic power.
- Milwaukee’s patterns include unique shifts in how Black people were labeled in documents over time.
- The story is not only about harm, it’s also about resistance, organizing, and multiracial alliances.
- The map is a public tool meant to support education, policy, community stories, and housing advocacy.
[00:03:14] Covenant 101: The Clauses That Controlled Who Could Live Where
Dr. Bonds explains racially restrictive covenants, how they were written into deeds, and the explicit “whites only” language that shaped neighborhoods.
[00:05:24] 1948 Supreme Court Ruling: Illegal to Enforce, But Still Included
What changed (and what didn’t) after the landmark decision—and how symbolic power kept segregation alive.
[00:07:02] What Makes Milwaukee Different? Language, Patterns & Prevalence
How Milwaukee compares to other cities and the evolving racial language found in local property records.
[00:10:06] The Shocking Discoveries: Petition Covenants & Cemetery Exclusion
Neighborhood-wide agreements, cemeteries restricting burial, and the sobering reality of “cradle to the grave” racism.
[00:12:58] Mapping Resistance: Black Organizing, NAACP Action & Armed Protection
The resistance story, Columbia Savings & Loan, legal battles, multiracial allies, and families defending their right to live where they chose.
[00:24:07] How to Use the Map + Why This Project Belongs to Milwaukee
How the interactive map works, community impact, 32,506 covenants uncovered, and how viewers can search, share stories, and support the work.
Explore the Map Yourself
Search “Mapping Racism and Resistance UWM” in your browser to access the interactive map. https://sites.uwm.edu/mappingracismresistance/ Zoom into your neighborhood, view covenant language, see when it was enacted, and learn the historical context behind your property.
Comment: What did you learn that you didn’t expect?
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