S6 Ep8: The Covenant Conspiracy

S6 Ep8: The Covenant Conspiracy

From Crimes of the Centuries by Amber Hunt and Audioboom

April 20, 2026 · 54 min · Season 6 · Episode 8

About this episode

This episode discusses a 1945 conspiracy involving a reverend and others to help a St. Louis couple overcome housing discrimination, leading to a landmark Supreme Court case.

In 1945, a reverend, a realtor, a science teacher, and a white woman in a low-cut dress conspired to help a St. Louis couple buy a house. The couple had steady jobs, a down payment, and six children who needed a safe home. What they didn't have was permission — at least not according to a clause buried in the property's deed. Their attempt to move in triggered outrage from neighbors, a lawsuit, and a legal battle that climbed all the way to the United States Supreme Court, resulting in the landmark 1948 ruling in Shelley v. Kraemer. Crimes of the Centuries is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes and more over at www.grabbagcollab.com Order the Crimes of the Centuries book at your favorite bookstore or at www.centuriespod.com/book ! Follow us on Instagram and other social media: @centuriespod

People in this episode

Hosts: Amber Hunt, Audioboom

Topics covered

  • housing discrimination
  • legal battles
  • Supreme Court cases
  • civil rights
  • historical crimes

Keywords

  • housing
  • discrimination
  • Supreme Court
  • 1948
  • Shelley v. Kraemer
  • civil rights
  • legal battle
  • St. Louis
  • historical crime

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Grab Bag Collab

Places: St. Louis

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