Racial segregation has been a part of American society since the Reconstruction Era following the end of the Civil War. It has taken many different forms and has been caused by a variety of social factors. Many Americans live with the belief that segregation ended during the aftermath of the Civil Rights Movement. However, segregation, both school and residential, is still a pressing social problem in the United States. The racial segregation that we see today is less overt than the segregation of the mid twentieth century. Its effects, however, are very real. In almost all cases, segregation gives majority racial groups advantages in the economic, social, and physical realms. Dumas (2015) refers to these advantages as race effects that …show more content…
There are two very distinct types of segregation: de jure and de facto. Each of these types occur due to different circumstances and, in most cases, occur in different social environments. De jure segregation is one of two types of segregation. This type of segregation occurs de jure or "by the law", meaning that segregation is enforced through state or government laws and courts. During the 1900s de jure segregation was prominent, especially in the southern states. Segregation was very overt and resulted in distinct separation of facilities, houses, schools, etc. While there are obvious problems with de jure segregation, it should be noted that many individuals, black and white, were ok with this type of segregation as long as the facilities, houses, and schools were equal as laid out in Plessy v. Ferguson. Where de jure segregation is very overt, de facto segregation is much more …show more content…
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