Historical segregation

Date and country of first publication

1997
None

Definition

At its current state, this definition has been generated by a Large Language Model (LLM) so far without review by an independent researcher or a member of the curating team of segregation experts that keep the Segregation Wiki online. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its reliability, completeness and timeliness. Please use this content with caution and verify information as needed. Also, feel free to improve on the definition as you see fit, including the use of references and other informational resources. We value your input in enhancing the quality and accuracy of the definitions of segregation forms collectively offered in the Segregation Wiki ©.

Historical segregation refers to the systemic separation of individuals or groups based on their race, ethnicity, religion, or other social characteristics. This practice was prominent in many societies, particularly in the United States, during the 19th and 20th centuries.

In the United States, historical segregation was enforced through laws and regulations known as "Jim Crow" laws. These laws mandated separate public facilities for White and African American individuals, including separate schools, restrooms, restaurants, and transportation. Black individuals were subjected to widespread discrimination, violence, and economic disadvantages, perpetuating a deeply unequal society.

Historical segregation was also prevalent in South Africa under apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination. This system was enforced by the National Party and institutionalized racial divides through legislation and policies that restricted the rights and freedoms of non-White citizens. The apartheid regime only ended in 1994, following years of protests and international pressure.

Historical segregation was not limited to racial divisions. For example, in Nazi Germany, Jews were segregated, oppressed, and ultimately targeted for extermination during the Holocaust. They were stripped of their rights, forcibly removed from their homes, and subjected to violence and mass murder.

Over time, significant efforts have been made to dismantle historical segregation. In the United States, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s played a crucial role in challenging and overturning segregationist policies. The landmark Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education (1954), declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Similarly, in South Africa, the introduction of democratic governance and the efforts of anti-apartheid activists led to the end of the apartheid system.

While legal segregation has been formally abolished in many countries, the impacts of historical segregation still persist in social, economic, and educational disparities. Addressing these lingering effects and promoting equality for all remains an ongoing challenge in many societies.

Further reading

Becchi A. (1997) "The changing space of Italian cities", American Behavioral Scientist, 360-373. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/0002764297041003007 10.1177/0002764297041003007]

Russell M.; Stewart J. (2001) "Disablement Prison, and Historical Segregation", Monthly Review, 53(3), pp. 61-75. Monthly Review Press. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.14452/mr-053-03-2001-07_6 10.14452/mr-053-03-2001-07_6]

Prakash S. (2013) "Racial dimensions of property value protection under the Fair Housing Act", California Law Review, 101(5), pp. 1437-1498. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/ ]

Rousseau M. (2015) "'Many Rivers to Cross': Suburban Densification and the Social Status Quo in Greater Lyon", International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 39(3), pp. 622-632. . DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.12197 10.1111/1468-2427.12197]

Falmagne R.J. (2016) "Toward the Desegregation of Thought and Affect in Psychological Theorizing", Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 10(1), pp. 3-10. Wiley-Blackwell. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12230 10.1111/spc3.12230]

Cocks M.; Alexander J.; Mogano L.; Vetter S. (2016) "Ways of Belonging: Meanings of "nature" among Xhosa Speaking Township Residents in South Africa", Journal of Ethnobiology, 36(4), pp. 820-841. Society of Ethnobiology. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771-36.4.820 10.2993/0278-0771-36.4.820]

Ben-Moshe L.; Stewart J. (2016) "Disablement, prison and historical segregation: 15 years later", Disability Politics in a Global Economy: Essays in Honour of Marta Russell, 87-104. Taylor and Francis. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.4324/9781315714011 10.4324/9781315714011]

Salter P.S.; Kelley N.J.; Molina L.E.; Thai L.T. (2017) "Out of sight, out of mind: racial retrieval cues increase the accessibility of social justice concepts", Memory, 25(8), pp. 1139-1147. Routledge. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2016.1274037 10.1080/09658211.2016.1274037]

Krysan M.; Crowder K. (2017) "Cycle of segregation: Social processes and residential stratification", Cycle of Segregation: Social Processes and Residential Stratification, 1-321. Russell Sage Foundation. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/ ]

Logan T.D.; Parman J.M. (2018) "Segregation and mortality over time and space", Social Science and Medicine, 199(), pp. 77-86. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.07.006 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.07.006]

Opie C.A.; Gibson-Thorpe B.; Lees C.; Haines H.M. (2019) "'Believe in me and i will believe in myself', a rural Australian health service learns how to mangan dunguludja ngatan (build strong employment) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: A qualitative study", Human Resources for Health, 17(1), pp. -. BioMed Central Ltd.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-019-0384-2 10.1186/s12960-019-0384-2]

Cokley R.K.; Crumb L. (2020) "#BLACKGIRLMAGIC: THE (MIS) EDUCATION OF GIFTED BLACK GIRLS FROM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, RURAL COMMUNITIES", Advances in Race and Ethnicity in Education, 7(), pp. 67-83. Emerald Publishing. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1108/S2051-231720200000007005 10.1108/S2051-231720200000007005]

Scheba A.; Turok I.; Visagie J. (2021) "Inequality and Urban Density: Socio economic Drivers of Uneven Densification in Cape Town", Environment and Urbanization ASIA, 12(1_suppl), pp. S107-S126. Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/0975425321998026 10.1177/0975425321998026]

Fitch E.F.; Hulgin K.M.; Coomer M.N. (2021) "How “special needs” vouchers deceive the public and silence the right to inclusive education", International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, -. Routledge. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2021.1957174 10.1080/09518398.2021.1957174]

Mitchell J.; Chihaya G.K. (2022) "Tract level associations between historical residential redlining and contemporary fatal encounters with police", Social Science and Medicine, 302(), pp. -. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114989 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114989]

Houck E.J.; Dracobly J.D. (2022) "Trauma Informed Care for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: From Disparity to Policies for Effective Action", Perspectives on Behavior Science, -. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-022-00359-6 10.1007/s40614-022-00359-6]

Li M.; Yuan F. (2022) "Historical Redlining and Resident Exposure to COVID 19: A Study of New York City", Race and Social Problems, 14(2), pp. 85-100. Springer. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-021-09338-z 10.1007/s12552-021-09338-z]

Notter I.R.; Logan J.R. (2022) "Residential Segregation under Jim Crow: Whites, Blacks, and Mulattoes in Southern Cities, 1880 1920", City and Community, 21(1), pp. 42-61. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1177/15356841211052534 10.1177/15356841211052534]

Siebert A. (2022) "Food Sovereignty and Urban Agriculture: Concepts, Politics, and Practice in South Africa", Food Sovereignty and Urban Agriculture: Concepts, Politics, and Practice in South Africa, 1-163. Taylor and Francis. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.4324/9781003182634 10.4324/9781003182634]

Bantjes J.; Kessler M.; Lochner C.; Breet E.; Bawa A.; Roos J.; Davids C.; Muturiki M.; Kessler R.C.; Stein D.J. (2023) "The mental health of university students in South Africa: Results of the national student survey", Journal of Affective Disorders, 321(), pp. 217-226. Elsevier B.V.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.10.044 10.1016/j.jad.2022.10.044]

Kato-Huerta J.; Geneletti D. (2023) "A distributive environmental justice index to support green space planning in cities", Landscape and Urban Planning, 229(), pp. -. Elsevier B.V.. DOI: [htttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104592 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104592]