Journal article
Dirty deeds: Finding and mapping race restrictions in local property records
Historical methods, Vol.59(1), pp.39-54
01/02/2026
DOI: 10.1080/01615440.2025.2531884
Abstract
The digitization of county deed records creates new opportunities and challenges for historical research, rendering private deed or property restrictions—one of the root mechanisms of racial segregation in the United States—more discoverable, and more quantifiable. This essay surveys the baseline and varying organization of county deed records. It traces strategies for identified racial restrictions contained within those records, using a variety of research methods and tools. And it summarizes strategies and methods for analyzing and mapping the results.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Dirty deeds: Finding and mapping race restrictions in local property records
- Creators
- Colin Gordon - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Historical methods, Vol.59(1), pp.39-54
- DOI
- 10.1080/01615440.2025.2531884
- ISSN
- 0161-5440
- eISSN
- 1940-1906
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Grant note
- Andrew W. Mellon FoundationNational Endowment for the HumanitiesRussell Sage Foundation
This work was supported by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; National Endowment for the Humanities; and Russell Sage Foundation.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 09/2025
- Date published
- 01/02/2026
- Academic Unit
- History
- Record Identifier
- 9984958292302771
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