Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. It enforced a strict racial hierarchy privileging white South Africans and disenfranchising people of color.
Related terms
Racial Segregation: The enforced separation of different racial groups in daily life, whether in schools, housing, or public spaces.