Every year the Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC) along with national fair housing organizations, fair housing advocates, and communities across the country celebrate April as Fair Housing Month. Fair Housing month is celebrated in April in honor of the Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, or the Fair Housing Act.
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) was passed in the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King’s roots in fair housing can be traced back to the Chicago Freedom Movement. In January of 1966, Dr. King and his family moved to Chicago and worked alongside the likes of Al Raby, James Bevel, and Jesse Jackson, fighting against lending discrimination, unsafe and unaffordable housing conditions, and segregation via federal ‘redlining’ practices. The movement saw ‘open housing’ as the key to improved living conditions, better education, and job opportunities for African Americans and minorities in Chicago. After months of protests, boycotts, and negotiations, organizers struck deals with the Chicago Housing Authority and the Mortgage Bankers Association to build integrated public housing and increase availability of home loans, no matter an individual’s race or neighborhood.
Although fair housing progressed in Chicago, it stalled nationwide. President Lyndon B. Johnson pressed Congress in 1966 and 1967 to consider fair housing legislation. Desegregation of the workplace and public accommodations were one thing, but for the FHA’s detractors in the legislature, integration of neighborhoods was a step too far. In 1968 however, two pivotal moments shifted momentum for fair housing. The first was the landmark report released by the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorder (also known as the Kerner Commission Report) that cited residential segregation as a root cause of urban conflict at the time. Secondly, and more tragically, was the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968. In tribute to Dr. King’s legacy and the fight for fair housing, President Johnson urged Congress to pass legislation. The Civil Rights Act of 1968 was signed into law one week after Dr. King’s death, on April 11, 1968. While signing the act, President Johnson stated: “Fair housing for all, all human beings who live in this country, is now part of the American Way.”
In Tennessee, the THRC enforces the state’s equivalent to the FHA: the Tennessee Human Rights Act. Under the FHA and the Tennessee Human Rights Act, it is illegal to discriminate in the sale, rental or financing of housing based on someone’s race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.
To honor the Fair Housing Month, the Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC) will host the 2025 Fair Housing Summit on Tuesday, April 29. The Summit will take place from 8 am–4 pm, CDT, both online and in-person at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. In-person registration for the event is $100, and online registration is $60. To register for the Summit, visit: <bit.ly/25THRCFHS>.
The 2025 Fair Housing Summit will be hosted in partnership with the National Civil Rights Museum; the city of Memphis, Division of Housing & Community Development; the Fair Housing Council of Metropolitan Memphis; the Tennessee Fair Housing Council; and the West Tennessee Legal Services. The theme for this year’s summit is ‘Fair Housing in 2025: Progress, Challenges, and the Future.’ The event will feature panel discussions by fair housing experts on several topics, including: the legacy of Dr. King and the fair housing movement; disability issues in fair housing; the impact of housing on children’s well being; and the state of fair housing in 2025. The summit will also feature a fair housing resource fair. Attendees will have admission to tour the National Civil Rights Museum.
