“Dear PoPville,
I went to a historical talk recently and the speaker mentioned that the DC Recorder of Deeds records have been digitized going back to 1921 and are available online. So when I got home I went to the site and looked up my house (Palisades). In a deed from 1936 I found the following language:
“said lots shall not at any time be sold, conveyed or leased for the use, benefit or occupancy of any person of African descent.” (photo above)
I’m not a lawyer, but as far as I can tell this covenant still binds the land. I know that it is no longer enforceable, due to various Supreme Court decisions and the Fair Housing Act, but I would like to take the affirmative step of removing it.
The question is, where do I start?“