SPOKANE, Wash. – Eastern Washington University is addressing an issue that has lingered in Spokane County for decades – some property deeds in the area still contain racist language that bans non-whites from living there, though this language is not enforceable by law.
Molly Prenger, a South Hill resident, discovered this unsettling history in her own home after receiving an email from the Spokane Public Library working in tandem with EWU.
“Our house has a racist covenant in it,” Prenger said. “It says that no person of any race other than white can live in the house unless they’re a domestic servant.”
These racial covenants are common in Spokane County. EWU has documented more than 7,000 properties with similar language.
Dr. Tara Kelly directs the EWU Racial Covenants Project and created an interactive map with her team. They discovered hot spots in the Spokane Valley, South Hill, Shadle Park, and Airway Heights.
“I think our findings can set a path for other states that might want to do this as well,” said Kelly. “This is history. We are not gonna whitewash it or erase it by any means.”
However, they will strike it down officially with amending documents to the existing deed. Otherwise, the covenant is archived with the state to preserve the history.
Molly was one of the first to attending a workshop with Kelly’s team and overwrite the racial covenant attached to her home.
“It was super easy, how easy they made it for us to show up and then fill out the paperwork,” Prenger said. “The more you think about it, the more you think how insidious it is that we can just perpetuate it.”
EWU’s Racial Covenants Project is hosting another workshop this Saturday. It will take place from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Shadle Park Library.
