History glossary
apartheid
the South African system of racial segregation and white minority rule made official after 1948.
- Category
- Political system
- Region
- South Africa
- Date range
- 1948-1994
What it means
Apartheid was the South African system of racial segregation and white minority rule made official after 1948. It classified people by race, separated residential areas, restricted movement and political rights, and preserved white power over the Black majority.
Stories using this term
The Ethiopian Empire
From Tewodros II's reunification drive to Haile Selassie's overthrow, Ethiopia defended independence, expanded imperial power, modernised unevenly and held a unique place in modern African history.
Apartheid South Africa
From white minority rule to mass resistance, Mandela's release and the first democratic election, apartheid reshaped South Africa and the world.
The Anglo Boer Conflict
A war between Britain and Boer republics that exposed imperial costs and reshaped South Africa.
The American Civil War and the Abolition of Slavery
The American Civil War determined the survival of the Union and led to the abolition of slavery, fundamentally reshaping the United States.
The Civil Rights Movement
From school desegregation to Montgomery, Selma and Memphis, organised communities challenged racial exclusion and transformed American democracy.
