Home ownership is viewed as a cornerstone of the American Dream. Often the single most important asset owned by an American family, it serves as the basis for family and generational wealth. Owning a home was presented as the defining goal for the postwar generation. This was especially true for Black Americans who wished to partake in the upward mobility enjoyed by other ethnic and racial groups during the post-World War II boom in the US economy. Most were determined to secure a better life for their families, away from the crushing poverty of