Choreographed segregation

2016
united kingdom

Choreographed segregation refers to the deliberate, planned separation of different racial or ethnic groups in a structured or organized manner. This term is often used to describe historical practices of racial segregation, particularly in the United States during the era of Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced widespread racial segregation in public facilities, schools, housing, and various other aspects of everyday life.

Choreographed segregation involved carefully orchestrating the separation of races through various means, including the use of legal regulations, physical barriers, and social customs. This was done with the intention of maintaining racial hierarchies and ensuring that African Americans and other minority groups were kept separate from white Americans.

Examples of choreographed segregation include separate schools for different races, segregated seating on public transportation, and designated areas for different races to live, worship, and socialize. These practices were enforced through laws and regulations, as well as through societal customs and norms.

Choreographed segregation was eventually challenged and dismantled through civil rights movements and landmark court cases, such as Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. These efforts aimed to end racial segregation and promote greater equality and integration in society.

Further reading

Browne B.C. (2016) "Choreographed Segregation: Irish Republican Commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising in Post Conflict Belfast", Irish Political Studies, 31(1), pp. 101-121. Routledge. DOI: 10.1080/07907184.2015.1126924