s0826 DREY, KAY, MALLINCKRODT COLLECTION, 1943-2006
Kay Drey was an activist for housing integration from the early 1960s to the late 1970s. Her commitment to integration began in her childhood; as a member of the first Jewish family in her neighborhood, other children bullied or ignored her. After enrolling at Washington University she joined the first Jewish sorority allowed on that campus in several years. As a freshman, she also conducted a survey to determine student opinion about admitting blacks to Washington University's undergraduate school.
After college Drey married and began raising a family in University City. She attempted to open the housing market there to black families before the first blacks moved into that township in 1963. She collected information on available properties for interested black families, and urged real estate agents to make such properties available to blacks. When a neighboring house was put on the market, Drey invited a black family to her house to view the property, since real estate agents would not show homes in white neighborhoods to black families. Shortly thereafter, she began working with Freedom of Residence, an open housing organization headed by Ruth Ann Porter and later by the Reverend Herman Graham.
In January 1965, Drey opposed a fair housing ordinance being considered by the city council of University City on the grounds that it might cause panic selling by white homeowners. She argued that similar ordinances needed to be pursued simultaneously in many of the other 96 county municipalities before there would be effective integration. The ordinance did not pass but the city coucil did approve a resolution supporting open housing.
By 1966 real estate agents were showing properties in the University Forest area of University City only to blacks, thereby discouraging white families from moving into an area that was "changing." Drey organized concerned residents and formed the University City Residential Service, which concentrated on attracting white families to the area. UCRS maintained a listing of homes for rent or sale in University City and sought potential resi- dents by making the listing service available to businesses, colleges and the federal government, organizations that continually brought new personnel into the area. UCRS also helped families find homes in areas of the University City where there were fewer blacks.
In March 1970, Drey and other integration activists met with members of the Concordia Seminary Social Concerns Committee, a group that raised funds for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Keys For Christ campaign. The two groups joined to form New Neighbors, an organization that collected information on available properties, often surreptitiously, in all areas of the county and made it available to black families. New Neighbors was staffed by volunteers and one salaried housing rights advocate. The group was funded by the Social Concerns Committee treasury and by contributions from Drey, who was also one of the group's most active organizers. New Neighbors was established in part as a response to the United States Civil Rights Commission hearings held in St. Louis in early 1970. Those hearings concluded that St. Louis was "an example of a community that has reached the level of racial division into two societies some experts have said threatens the nation." In December 1972, New Neighbors changed its name to County Open Housing after an organization federally incorporated as "New Neighbors" threatened legal action.
County Open Housing and the University City Residential Service worked together to keep University City integrated. UCRS directed black families looking for homes to COH, which did not maintain listings for University City, Normandy, Wellston or St. Louis City. By 1974, COH also offered a listing service to low-income families, particularly those participating in subsidized housing under Section 8 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.
In addition to its housing listing, County Open Housing maintained a speaker's bureau and was involved in public controversies concerning housing in St. Louis. When the north county community of Black Jack attempted to block the development of a housing complex for low and middle-income families, COH helped organize people in that community to support it. In 1973 the St. Louis County Planning Commission approved a proposed land-use plan that COH publicly criticized as perpetuating exclusionary zoning. The areas slated for additional multi-family developments in the plan were already densely populated while other areas, like Ladue and Parkway, remained zoned almost exclusively for large-lot, single family homes. The plan was never implemented. A U.S. Court of Appeals declared Black Jack's actions unconstitutional in 1974. Creve Coeur began buying lots in the Malcolm Terrace subdivision in 1974 to turn into a park and "keep Black Jack apartments from coming in." Mayor Harold Dielmann, "personally did not want any colored people" living there. COH supported the successful efforts of residents to modify park plans and preserve the residential character of the neighborhood.
Drey was also involved in other issues concerning University City. She opposed the opening of an abortion clinic in 1974 because it was a profit-making, storefront operation which did not provide adequate emergency ambulance service to the nearest hospital. She also thought controversy surrounding the clinic would have an adverse effect on a proposed tax hike designed to improve University City schools. From 1972 to 1973 Drey served on the Committee of 15, which advised University City schools on problems of transportation, building conditions and curriculum development. Drey wrote letters of complaint to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 1982 in response to articles she felt exaggerated racial tensions in University City schools.
County Open Housing established a Goals and Policies Committee in 1976 after a division among board and staff members about the group's approach to integration. Some members felt that COH's work should emphasize finding housing for low-income families and looked upon integration management as a benign but suspect form of racial steering. In 1977 COH board members voted 5 to 4 to begin listing University City properties. In response to this move, Drey resigned from the organization. Lack of funding caused COH, which had changed its name to Metro Housing, to cease operation in March 1983.
After leaving County Open Housing, Drey continued to do some work for UCRS, but she became most active in opposing the development of nuclear power.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Kay Drey Papers document Kay Drey's work with the University City Residential Service and County Open Housing and her involvement with public issues important to University City. The collection includes housing listings, correspondence, board meeting minutes and literature from both COH and UCRS. It also contains notes, newsclippings, and correspondence on controversies surrounding Black Jack, Malcolm Terrace and the St. Louis County General Land Use Plan. The papers also include notes and correspondence on the abortion clinic in University City and Kay Drey's involvement with University City schools. The papers do not contain any material on Kay Drey's activities as an opponent of nuclear power. The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject categories. Some of the collection is separated by form, including conference materials, some correspondence, newsclippings and notes.
FOLDER LISTING
1. Abortion Clinic, 1973-1975
2. American Friends Service Committee Equal Opportunity in Housing Report, 1967
3. Analysis of General Construction Activity and Residential Construction in Missouri, 1975
4. Black Families in White Neighborhoods, 1974
5. Black Jack, 1970-1976, 1979-1981
6. Black Jack Appellate Decision, 1974
7. Black Jack, Judge Meredith Trial, 1974-1976
8. Busing, 1975-1976
9. Conferences, 1972-1980
BOX 2
10. Correspondence, 1969-1977
11. Desegregation, 1973
12. County Open Housing, Apartment Listings, nd.
13. County Open Housing, Annual Reports, 1973-1974
14. County Open Housing, Board of Directors Minutes, 1970-1976
15. County Open Housing, Bylaws, 1972-1976
BOX 3
16. County Open Housing, Danforth Foundation Conference, 1971
17. County Open Housing, Feely Proposal, 1973-1974
18. County Open Housing, Fund Appeal Draft, 1973
19. County Open Housing, Goals and Policies Committee, 1976
20. County Open Housing, Housing Rights Advocate Applications, 1976
21. County Open Housing, LaFayette Town, Bagby Displacement, 1977
22. County Open Housing, Literature, 1971-1975, nd.
23. County Open Housing, Newsletters, 1971-1975, nd.
24. County Open Housing, County Open Housing, Publicity, 1970-1974
25. County Open Housing, Steering, 1972-1976
26. East-West Gateway Coordinating Council, Regional Housing Plan, 1973
27. East-West Gateway Coordinating Council, HUD Rescinded Letter, 1973
BOX 4
28. Hatcher Notes, 1977-1978
29. Housing and Development Reporter, 1975
30. Housing Investments Fund, 1972-1973
31. Integration Statistics, 1971
32. League of Women Voters, Metro Housing Committee, 1974
33. Lease Housing, 1975
34. Low Income Housing in the County, 1969-1971
35. Malcolm Terrace Community Plan, 1973-1975
36. Meacham Park Community Plan, 1973-1975
37. Metroplex Housing Symposium, 1976
38. Metropolitan Housing Corporation, Women's Guild, "The Guild, "The Enablers, " 1968
39. Minimum Housing Code, 1973, 1976
40. Miscellaneous, 1970-1975
41. Mortgage Information Sheet, 1972
42. Municlpal League Blight Program, 1972-1973
43. National Bar Association, Fair Housing Seminar, 1976
44. National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing,
45. National Housing Supply, 1973
46. Negroes in Missouri, 1970
47. New Neighbors, General Information, 1968-1972
BOX 5
48. Newsclippings, 1969
49. Newsclippings, 1970
50. Newsclippings, 1971
51. Newsclippings, 1972
52. Newsclippings, 1973
53. Newsclippings, 1974
54. Newsclippings, 1975
55. Newsclippings, 1976
56. Newsclippings, 1977
57. Newsclippings, 1978
58. Newsclippings, 1979
59. Newsclippings, 1981 (Letter to the Editor, Riverfront Times, 2/5-11/85)
60. Notes, 1970-1972
61. Notes , 1973-1975
BOX 6
62. Notes, 1976-1980, nd.
63. Oak Park, 1975-1976
64. Olivette, 1970-l9 73
65. Planning and Zoning in St. Louis County, Report, 1975
66. Publications, 1971-1981, nd.
BOX 7
67. Racial Employment Patterns in Real Estate Sales, Report, 1973
68. Recommendation for Metropolitan St. Louis Community Development, Reports, 197
69. Rimmel Realty Solicitation, Correspondence, 1975
70. St. Louis County Blight, 1972-1973
71. St. Louis County Budget Process Workshop, 1975
72. St. Louis County Department of Planning, 1973-1974
73. St . Loui s County Fact Book, 1972
74. St. Louis General Land Use Plan, 1973-1974
75. St. Louis General Land Use Plan, 1974
76. St. Louis General Land Use Plan, Correspondence, 1973
BOX 8
77. St. Louis County General Land Use Plan, Home Builders Association, 1974
78. St. Louis County General Land Use Plan, Maps, 1974
79. St. Louis County General Land Use Plan, Mason Letter, 1973
80. St. Louis County General Land Use Plan, Newsclippings, 1974
81. St. Louis County General Land Use Plan, Special Report, 1973
82. St. Louis County General Land Use Plan, Summary, 1973; Public Forum, 1980
83. St. Louis County Office of Community Development, 1974
84. St. Louis County Uniform Building Codes, 1973-1974
85. St. Louis Housing: A Regional Problem, Report, 1972
86. Savings and Loan Lending Activity in St. Louis, 1975
87. Seattle Housing Rehabilitation, 1974
88. Street and Other Public Works Services in St. Louis County, Report, 1974
89. Suburban Action, 1976
90. Survey of Public Attitudes Toward Community Development and Citizen Participation in St. Louis County, 1976
91. U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Informal Hearing, 1971
92. U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Hearing in St. Louis, 1/14-17, 1970
BOX 9
93. University City Community Center, nd.
94. University City Council, Open Housing Speech, 1965
95. University City, General Information, 1972-1976
96. University City, Newsclippings, 1969-1981
97. University City, Occupancy Permits, 1967-1975
98. University City, Police Violence, 1974-1975
99. University City, 75th Anniversary, April, 1981
100. University City, Street Map, January, 1978
101. University City, Tax Assessment, 1975
102. University City, World Fellowship Resolution, 1972-1973
103. University City Residential Service, Ad Hoc Committee
104. University City Residential Service , Apartment Owners, nd.
105. University City Residential Service, General Correspondence and Information, 1969-1978
106. University City Residential Service, Mailing Lists, 1969-1970
107. University City Residential Service, Memoranda, 1980
108. University City Residential Service, Memoranda, 1982
109. University City Residential Service, Notes, 1981
BOX 10
110. University City Residential Service, Sample Listings, 1967-1973
111. University City Residential Service, Sample Listings and Notes, 1975-1977
112. University City Residential Service, Connecticut Housing Investment Fund, 1970
113. University City Residential Service, Board Minutes, 1971-1981
114. University City Residential Service, First Solicitation Letters, 1969-1970
115. University City School Study, 1969
116. University City School Tax, 1973-1974
117. University Schools, 1964-1965
118. University City Schools, St. Louis Post-Dispatch Newsclippings, 1969-1971, 1974
BOX 11
119. University City Schools, 1973-1978
120. University City Schools, 1982-1983
121. University City Schools, Committee of 15, 1972-1973
122. University City/Clayton School District Merger, 1975-1976
123. University City Schools, Negotiations, 1971-1972
124. Urban Coalition, 1968-1969
125. Westland Acres-Helwig Farms, 1972-1973
T-714. Interview with Kenn Thomas about County Open Housing, September 28, 1983
INDEX
Abortion, f. 1
Afro-Americans--Housing, f. 4
Afro-Americans--Social Conditions, f. 4, 9, 46, 67
American Friends Service Committee, f. 2
Black Jack, f. 5-7
Busing, f. 8
County Open Housing, f. 12-25
Danforth Foundation, f. 16
Desegregation, f. 11
Dreer, Herman, f. 9
Drey, Kay, f. 1-125
East-West Gateway Coordinating Council, f. 26, 27
Housing, f. 1-125
Integration, f. 31
Ladies Center (Abortion Clinic), f. 1
LaFayette Town, f. 21
Land Use Plan, f. 72, 74-82
League of Women Voters, f. 32
Malcolm Terrace, f. 35
Meacham Park, f. 36
New Neighbors, f. 47
Oak Park, f. 63
Olivette, f. 64
Radioactive Waste, f. 59
St. Louis County, f. 70-84, 88, 90
St. Louis County General Land Use Plan, f. 72, 74-82
University City, f. 93-102
University City Residential Service, f. 103-114
University City Schools, f. 115-123
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, St. Louis Hearing, f. 91, 92
Westland Acres-Helwig Farms, f. 125
World Federalists, f. 102
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
ONE UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
E-MAIL: whmc@umsl.edu