Kai Rivers
In 1973, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Trump Management Incorporated, alleging that the company had refused to rent to Black people. The lawsuit also named the company's president and chairman, Donald Trump and his father Fred, as defendants. The Trumps settled the suit in 1975, agreeing to place advertisements informing minorities that they were welcome to rent Trump properties. However, they did not admit any wrongdoing. Despite this, Donald Trump has been accused of racism and bigotry throughout his decades in the public eye.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1973 |
| Parties Involved | Trump Management Incorporated, Donald Trump, Fred Trump |
| Allegations | Refusing to rent to Black people, requiring different rental terms and conditions because of race, and misrepresenting that apartments were not available |
| Outcome | Settled in 1975 without an admission of guilt |
| Requirements for Trump Management | Place advertisements informing minorities they were welcome to rent Trump properties and affirm to the court that no discrimination would take place |
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What You'll Learn
The 1973 federal lawsuit against Trump Management Incorporated
In 1973, the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division filed a civil rights lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York against Fred Trump, Donald Trump, and their real estate company, Trump Management Inc. The case, United States of America v. Fred C. Trump, Donald Trump, and Trump Management, Inc., accused the Trumps of violating the Fair Housing Act of 1968 by discriminating against Black tenants.
The lawsuit was sparked by a government-sanctioned investigation in July 1972, which used undercover "testers" to determine whether Trump Management Inc. discriminated against minorities seeking housing. A Black woman posing as a renter was told that no apartments were available, while a white woman was shown several options. Trump employees also secretly marked the applications of minorities with codes, such as "C" for "coloured".
In response to the lawsuit, Donald Trump held a news conference in December 1973, announcing a counterclaim and stating that the government was trying to force the company to lease apartments to people on welfare. He denied any suggestion that his company discriminated based on race, claiming that "there are a number of blacks who live in there, that we know visibly". The Trumps sought $100 million in their countersuit.
The case was eventually settled in 1975 with a consent decree. While the Trumps did not admit to any violation, they were prohibited from discriminating against any person in the terms or conditions of rental housing. They were also required to place ads informing minorities that they had equal housing opportunities at their properties.
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The Trumps' response to the lawsuit
In 1973, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Trump Management Incorporated, as well as its president and chairman: Donald Trump and his father Fred. The lawsuit alleged that the Trumps had systematically discriminated against Black and Puerto Rican tenants, directing them away from majority-white buildings and towards properties with more minorities.
The Trumps' company had encountered allegations of discrimination before Donald Trump arrived. On at least seven occasions, people seeking apartments had filed complaints about alleged "discriminatory practices" with the New York City Commission on Human Rights. The company resolved the complaints by offering apartments to each minority applicant, but critics said the patterns of bias continued.
The 1973 lawsuit specifically alleged that the Trumps had refused to rent and negotiate rentals with Black tenants, required different rental terms and conditions because of race, and misrepresented that apartments were not available. In response to the lawsuit, Donald Trump wrote in his 1987 autobiography, "The Art of the Deal," that "what we didn’t do was rent to welfare cases, white or black. ”
The Trumps fought the lawsuit, with Donald Trump stating that he wanted to fight and that the idea of settling "drove [him] crazy." They denied the charges, with Trump claiming that the Justice Department lawsuit was just one of many housing cases against landlords at the time. However, the lawsuit was settled in 1975, with the Trumps signing a consent decree. The agreement did not include an admission of guilt or wrongdoing, but it required the company to place advertisements in newspapers stating that they welcomed minority applicants and that they would comply with the Fair Housing Act. The Trumps also had to affirm to the court that no discrimination would take place in the future.
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The outcome of the lawsuit
In 1973, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Trump Management Incorporated, alleging that the company had systematically discriminated against Black and Puerto Rican tenants. The lawsuit also named the company's president and chairman, Donald Trump and his father Fred, as defendants.
The Justice Department accused the Trumps of violating the Fair Housing Act by "refusing to rent and negotiate rentals with blacks, requiring different rental terms and conditions because of race, and misrepresenting that apartments were not available".
The lawsuit was settled in 1975 when the Trumps agreed to sign a consent decree. While the Trumps did not admit any wrongdoing, they were required to place advertisements in newspapers stating that they welcomed rental applications from Black tenants and that they would comply with the Fair Housing Act. The decree also stipulated that the Trumps must affirm to the court that no discrimination would take place in their rental properties going forward.
Despite the settlement, the Trump Organization was sued again in 1978 for violating the terms of the 1975 agreement by continuing to refuse to rent to Black tenants. Trump and his lawyer, Roy Cohn, denied the charges.
The outcome of the 1978 lawsuit is unclear, but the allegations of racial discrimination against the Trumps and their company have persisted for decades, with critics accusing them of continuing to engage in discriminatory housing practices even after the initial lawsuit was settled.
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Trump's history of racist remarks
In 1973, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Trump Management Incorporated, alleging that the company had systematically discriminated against Black and Puerto Rican tenants. The lawsuit claimed that the Trumps had refused to rent or negotiate rentals with Black tenants, requiring different rental terms and conditions based on race, and misrepresenting the availability of apartments.
This was not an isolated incident, as there had been previous complaints about discriminatory practices at Trump properties. On at least seven occasions, people seeking apartments had filed complaints with the New York City Commission on Human Rights. In his 1987 autobiography, Trump wrote, "What we didn't do was rent to welfare cases, white or black."
The 1973 lawsuit was not the first time the Trump family had been accused of racism. The company, which was run by Donald Trump and his father, Fred Trump, had encountered allegations of discrimination before Donald Trump became president of the company. During Donald Trump's presidency, he took an interest in all levels of the business, including collecting rent.
The Justice Department's 1973 lawsuit was settled in 1975, with the Trumps signing a consent decree. While the agreement did not include an explicit admission of guilt, it required the company to place advertisements informing minorities that they were welcome to rent Trump properties and to affirm to the court that no discrimination would take place.
Despite this settlement, the Trump Organization was sued again in 1978 for violating the terms of the 1975 settlement by continuing to refuse to rent to Black tenants. Trump and his lawyer, Roy Cohn, denied the charges. In 1983, it was noted that two Trump Village properties were still over 95% white.
In addition to the housing discrimination case, Donald Trump has been accused of making racist remarks throughout his decades in the public eye. He has been criticized for his comments about Native Americans, African Americans, and immigrants. He has also been accused of promoting conspiracy theories about former President Barack Obama's birthplace, suggesting that Obama was not a US citizen.
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Trump's company's history of racial discrimination
In 1973, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Trump Management Incorporated, alleging that the company had systematically discriminated against Black and Puerto Rican tenants. The lawsuit claimed that the Trumps refused to rent or negotiate rentals with Black tenants, required different rental terms and conditions based on race, and misrepresented the availability of apartments to Black applicants.
The Justice Department's case was built on testimony from tenants and employees, as well as the work of federal investigators. One employee, a rental supervisor at the Trumps' Tysens Park apartments, alleged that Fred Trump, Donald Trump's father, personally instructed him not to rent apartments to Black people or people on welfare. Another Black woman applicant claimed she was repeatedly told that no units were available, despite seeing advertisements for vacancies, and was ultimately told by a temporary employee that she was rejected because of her race.
The Trumps denied the allegations and fought the lawsuit. However, in 1975, they agreed to sign a consent decree without admitting wrongdoing. As part of the settlement, the company was required to place advertisements informing minorities that they were welcome to rent Trump properties and to affirm to the court that no discrimination would take place.
Despite the settlement, Trump's company continued to face accusations of racial discrimination. In 1978, they were sued again for violating the terms of the 1975 settlement by refusing to rent to Black tenants. In 1983, it was noted that two Trump Village properties were still over 95% White.
Apart from the housing discrimination case, Donald Trump has also been accused of making racist remarks and promoting conspiracy theories. He has referred to largely Black populated areas as "infested" and promoted the birther" conspiracy theory that questioned former President Barack Obama's citizenship. These incidents, along with the early racial bias case, indicate a history of racial discrimination associated with Trump and his company.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. In 1973, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Trump Management Incorporated, alleging that the Trumps had systematically discriminated against Black and Puerto Rican tenants, directing them away from majority-white buildings.
The lawsuit was settled in 1975, when the Trumps agreed to sign a consent decree. The agreement did not include an admission of guilt, but it required the company to place advertisements informing minorities they were welcome to rent Trump properties.
Yes, the Trump Organization was sued again in 1978 for violating the terms of the 1975 settlement by continuing to refuse to rent to Black tenants.
