Hello & welcome to my September 2022 newsletter. I hope you've had a fun summer & are now moving slowly into my favorite season here in New Mexico. In honor of all the kids going back to school this month, I thought I'd share a bit of history with you in this issue. During a trip to the Albuquerque Museum, I learned something about the roots of Fair Housing in Albuquerque that I thought might interest you too. As a Realtor, I'm always looking to gain historical knowledge of the industry & this is such an important foundation for modern real estate practices pioneered in our beloved city. 

Did you know that Albuquerque was home to one the first Fair Housing city ordinances in the country? The ordinance was adopted in June of 1963, predating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 & the federal Fair Housing Act (aka Civil Rights Act of 1968). Only two other cities, New York, NY & Toledo, OH, had enacted ordinances to protect against discrimination & promote fair & equitable housing rights prior. Before its passage, prohibitive real estate covenants were in place that restricted people of color from purchasing new & existing homes in certain neighborhoods, thereby creating segregated communities within the city. The Albuquerque City Commission adopted, on an emergency basis, this “groundbreaking ordinance that banned discrimination on the basis of race or national origin in the sale & rental of houses & apartments city-wide" on June 18, 1963.

Carnis Salisbury was the trailblazer who acted as a catalyst for this leap forward in Albuquerque Fair Housing. She moved to Albuquerque from Washington, D.C. in the early 1960s with her husband, Oliver, where they experienced the restrictive real estate covenants firsthand. Both Carnis & Oliver had built careers working to further civil rights, so they were able to help pave the way forward for Albuquerque. She was an activist, teacher & counselor & highly regarded participant in many fair housing discussions at both the city & state levels. This critical component of civil rights is the foundation on which our modern real estate industry now thrives thanks to her visionary work.

In 1990, the City of Albuquerque Human Rights Office awarded Carnis Salisbury their Human Rights Award.  She was recognized with a “Living Treasure Award” in 1998, along with the New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award.  Carnis also received the New Mexico NAACP Longevity Award in 2006, where she was a former state president with the organization. We continue to be grateful for the contributions of this civil rights pioneer who helped to shape our industry & the overall good of Albuquerque & New Mexico.