St. Louis is reported to be one of the most segregated cities in the country. This reality determines not only where certain people live, but also the quality of the education they will receive, their outcomes with employment, healthcare, and law enforcement, and the level of access they have to nutritious foods and other resources. In order to fully understand the continuous effect of the present urban segregation, it is important to examine the policies and events that have shaped the neighborhood structures and settlement behaviors within St. Louis and cities like it. This report delves into the impact of exclusionary zoning practices, racially motivated loan allotment, neighborhood racial covenants and other phenomena and discusses their contribution to the deliberate creation of the segregated city. Additionally, historical events are evaluated in relation to the current situation in the city of St. Louis, showing the continuation of intentional de jure segregation.

Kate would like to thank their faculty sponsor Dr. Olga Arbelaez for their support of this project.