The diffusion of American fair housing law and policy

Objective We investigate the contributions of state and local governments to the diffusion of American fair housing law and policy, focusing on the period from 1919 to 1968, prior to similar legal requirements and policies being approved at the federal level. Methods Relying on archival data obtained at two presidential libraries, our findings provide insights into diffusion's political effects. Results Myriad state and local laws, constituting breakthroughs that spread horizontally and/or bottom‐up, preceded similar requirements in the national Fair Housing Act of 1968 and implementation policies subsequently adopted by the federal bureaucracy. Conclusions Progressive subnational governments can promote the rights of politically marginalized individuals and groups when the national government and other subnational jurisdictions do not. States and localities can use desegregation approaches not available at the federal level.