What Is Segregation In The United States
The topic of segregation in the United States has been a matter of great discussion since the Plessy Supreme court case in 1896. However, there is a much lesser talked about instance of segregation that occurred in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. That instance was called the Apartheid. Apartheid literally translates to “the status of being apart.” It was put into motion by the National Party as a way of upholding white supremacy after World War II. The inhabitants of South Africa were separated into four racial groups: native, white, colored, and Asian. If the groups did not conform voluntarily, they were often forced (sometimes physically) to do so. The segregation did not only end with the grouping of race. All services in South Africa
were segregated as well, and for the blacks, the quality of service was abysmal. By 1970, all people of color were ousted from the politics of South Africa. Later that year, blacks were also stripped of their citizenship and grouped into one of 10 tribally based bantustans. At this time, even the beaches were segregated. Leading into 1980, many reforms were made to the policies of Apartheid, but the reforms weren’t nearly extensive enough. Unrest among the people continued to increase and a formal resistance was even created. It was not until 1990 that President Frederik Willem de Klerk negotiated to end Apartheid. The climax of this negotiation occurred in 1994 when the African National Congress Party won and elected Nelson Mandela as the new President of South Africa. Mandela won with 62.7% of the vote. If he had won with 4% more his party would have been given the right to rewrite the country’s constitution. Instead, they made many amendments to the current constitution and even gained 252 seats in South Africa’s parliament.
were segregated as well, and for the blacks, the quality of service was abysmal. By 1970, all people of color were ousted from the politics of South Africa. Later that year, blacks were also stripped of their citizenship and grouped into one of 10 tribally based bantustans. At this time, even the beaches were segregated. Leading into 1980, many reforms were made to the policies of Apartheid, but the reforms weren’t nearly extensive enough. Unrest among the people continued to increase and a formal resistance was even created. It was not until 1990 that President Frederik Willem de Klerk negotiated to end Apartheid. The climax of this negotiation occurred in 1994 when the African National Congress Party won and elected Nelson Mandela as the new President of South Africa. Mandela won with 62.7% of the vote. If he had won with 4% more his party would have been given the right to rewrite the country’s constitution. Instead, they made many amendments to the current constitution and even gained 252 seats in South Africa’s parliament.