The reasoning was that if African-Americans moved into white neighborhoods...

The reasoning was that if African-Americans moved into white neighborhoods, they would be sure to bring in crime, driving down property values and increasing taxes on residents in the area. The fact was that for African-Americans to move to the neighborhoods in the first place required significant capital, money almost always procured through hard work and years of saving. This was ignored.

White Americans labeled African-Americans as having a tendency to commit criminal activity, violence and prostitution. African Americans were shuttered out of opportunities-even if they were the most qualified-which included moving into prime real estate areas. If African-Americans dared move into white areas, they were often met with psychological pressure…