“Designs for People Who Do Not Readily Intermingle”: Olmsted Jr.’s Use of Race-Restrictive Covenants, ca. 1900–1930

Abstract

This article illuminates Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.’s use of racially restrictive covenants in his firm’s residential subdivisions. Given his prominence in planning for urban development during the first three decades of the twentieth century, examining Olmsted Jr.’s legacy to the role of planning in perpetuating racial segregation can provide an important missing piece of planning history. This study utilizes a particularly rich collection of restrictive covenants (circa 1900–1930) from the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site to document the scope, variety, location, timing, and language of racial restrictions applied in numerous Olmsted Brothers firm projects across America. In doing so, it considers the relationship between developers, designers, and homeowners in contributing to the segregation of American residential subdivisions still prevalent today. This research demonstrates the commitment of the Olmsted firm to advancing residential segregation in newly created communities throughout the nation during the first half of the twentieth century.