The Case of Jones v. Mayer (1968)

You might be thinking, "If the law was passed in 1866, why was housing discrimination still so rampant in the 1960s?” For a century, people thought the 1866 Act only stopped the Government from discriminating. Private citizens (like a homeowner or a private developer) thought they could do whatever they wanted. Then came Joseph Lee Jones. In 1965, Mr. Jones (who was Black) tried to buy a home in a private subdivision in Missouri. The developer, Alfred H. Mayer Co., refused to sell to him solely because he was Black. Mr. Jones sued. The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court looked back at that dusty old 1866 law and said, "Wait a minute. This law prohibits ALL racial discrimination, private or public.” The court ruled in favor of Jones. This case is famous because it confirmed that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits all racial discrimination in the sale of real property, whether by the government OR by private citizens.