De Jure Segregation

De jure segregation refers to the legal separation of groups based on characteristics such as race or ethnicity, enforced by laws or policies. This means that government or legal systems explicitly create and uphold divisions, such as in schools, housing, or public facilities. A historical example is the Jim Crow laws in the United States, which mandated racial segregation in the South until the mid-20th century. Unlike de facto segregation, which occurs through social practices and personal choices rather than laws, de jure segregation is institutionalized and government-sanctioned.