Conklin, George

Historical Description

In June 1963, the California legislature passed AB 1240, the Rumford Act, a fair housing bill banning discrimination in the sale or rental of housing and to forbid lending institutions, mortgage holders, real estate brokers and others to practice discrimination in housing transactions. In April 1964, a "Realtor's Initiative", Proposition 14, was put on the state ballot. Its text stated that it was an initiative to prohibit the State from denying a person the right to rent or sell property "to any person as he chooses." In effect, the initiative would repeal the 1963 Rumford Act and amend the California constititution. Proposition 14, or the California Fair Housing initiative, became a focal point for the issue of racial discrimination and the civil rights movement in California. Religious bodies, civic groups, and political organizations rallied to strong vocal positions either in opposition to or approval of the initiative.

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