On April 11, 1968, one week after the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed the Fair Housing Act into Law to end or quell the civil unrest, protests and riots in many U.S. cities. NAREB national and local leaders were instrumental in pushing for and litigating to ensure the full implementation of the Fair Housing Law. The signing of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1968, which came to be known as the Fair Housing Law not only prohibited discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, creed, and national origin, but also helped to expand business and career opportunities for Black Americans operating in the real estate industry and those interested entering the real estate profession.

In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act (April 11, 2018), NAREB will host a series of events and activities throughout the year. These efforts will seek to educate and inspire the public about the never-ending struggle for equality, Democracy in Housing, and NAREB’s role in the landmark effort. We fully understand defacto desegregation and institutional racism remains a pervasive problem throughout the United States. Thus, as we illuminate the accomplishments of the last 50th years, we ask everyone to join in our efforts to increase Black homeownership, improve Black neighborhoods, and increase social and economic conditions for Black people