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The life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. is closely linked to the National Association of REALTORS®. In the summer of 1966, he moved to Chicago and engaged in a series of marches, appealing to real estate practitioners in the city to end discriminatory housing practices. King's call for open housing led to the 1968 passage of the Fair Housing Act.
In February 2007, underscoring its mission to make home ownership viable for all Americans, NAR made a $1 million contribution to the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation.
Pat Vredevoogd Combs, then NAR president, remarked: “NAR is an outspoken advocate for fair housing, an ally in the fight against predatory lending practices, and an organization that prides itself on building communities. We are proud to be a part of the effort to build a permanent home to honor Dr. King on our National Mall.”
To this day, the Association continues to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. NAR's Fair Housing Program enables REALTORS® to help buyers of any cultural background achieve the American dream of homeownership. The association led industry efforts in 1988 to get important amendments made to enhance fair housing laws in the Fair Housing Act.
Additional Information
- View the official NAR press release (DOC: 56 KB).
- Download the Fair Housing Focus publication cover from February 2007 (PDF: 257 KB)
- Read the entire speech by then NAR President Pat Combs (DOC: 85 KB)
- See NAR's Fair Housing Program information
- View the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day infographic
- Visit the U.S. National Park Service Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial website
