'Shelley v. Kraemer' was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1948 that addressed the issue of racially restrictive covenants in housing. The case involved J.D. Shelley, a Black man who purchased a house in St. Louis, Missouri, from a white family. However, a racial covenant embedded in the property deed prohibited the sale of the house to Black individuals.

When the previous owners attempted to enforce the racial covenant, Shelley took the case to court, arguing that such restrictive covenants were unconstitutional and violated his rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Shelley, declaring that state enforcement of racially restrictive covenants was unconstitutional and a violation of the Equal Protection Clause.

The 'Shelley v. Kraemer' decision was a significant victory for the civil rights movement, as it struck a blow against the legality of segregation in housing practices. The case helped pave the way for later civil rights legislation and efforts to combat housing discrimination in the United States.