Shelley v. Kraemer was a landmark United States Supreme Court case decided in 1948. The case involved a racially restrictive covenant in a property deed in St. Louis, Missouri. The covenant prohibited the sale of the property to individuals who were not of the Caucasian race. The Shelley family, who were African American, purchased a property subject to this covenant.

When the Shelley family attempted to move into their new home, the neighbors took legal action to enforce the racially restrictive covenant. The case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court, where the decision was rendered that state courts could not enforce racially restrictive covenants because that would amount to state action denying equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Shelley v. Kraemer decision was a significant step towards dismantling the legal framework of segregation and racial discrimination in housing. It helped pave the way for future civil rights victories, including the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which further prohibited housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.