UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

After the disbandment of racially restrictive covenants post 1948, Washington D.C. experiencedevents of “blockbusting”. These events influenced a racial turnover known as “white flight”.This study aims to analyze blockbusting by mapping migration and home sale patterns from1948 to 1971 within 8 blocks and a total of 454 lots in Petworth, Washington D.C. (census tract21.02). Using a thirteen-statement inquiry, housing deeds from the District of ColumbiaRecorder of Deeds were examined to capture migration and home sale patterns of blockbusting.59 out of 454 lots were sampled, with a total of 118 resales, which demonstrated that the sampleresembled similar migration and home sale patterns. Two real estate institutions, Ralph D CohnINC (RDCI) and Sindler Realty Corporation (SRC), appeared numerous times in the sample andwere investigated, which revealed historical archives, newspapers and lawsuits related toblockbusting and racial turnover practices.