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| I placed the asterisks to avoid a racial slur. Whether this image was a real photo of the signage or not, doesn't mitigate the fact that these were posted in the community. |
Joseph Sears founded Kenilworth with four key provisos: "Large lots, high standards of construction, no alleys, and sales to Caucasians only." "Caucasians only" was interpreted to exclude Jews as well as nonwhites. Later, Sears realized he had forgotten to allow for live-in servants and sent a note to each resident of Kenilworth; none objected. By 1950 the suburb had 79 African Americans — every one a maid, nanny, or other servant.
A Jewish family, the Spiegels of mail-order catalog fame, managed to move into Kenilworth in the 1920s, but they may have been the last for decades. Certainly in the 1950s Kenilworth was notorious for keeping Jews out. Kenilworth may also have excluded Catholics, but by the 1950s that prohibition was loosening. In the 1970s, Kenilworth let in Jews.
Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.
Hello! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
ReplyDeleteYour blog provided us valuable information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!
OMG... What an awful history for a high-class suburb.
ReplyDeleteHoly Sh*t, I used to go through Kenilworth all the time on the way to piano lessons. I grew up further north. My dad said he once pulled out one of these signs in Lake Geneva. Growing up in the far North Shore as a jew I had no idea that there was this much antisemitism.
ReplyDeleteDid dogs represent actual dogs or were they slang for something else?
ReplyDeleteKenilworth didn't like dogs and dog poop, among Jews and Negroes.
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