South African Apartheid (jan 1, 1948 – jan 1, 1994)

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In 1948, apartheid—a system of racial segregation and discrimination—was enforced in South Africa by the Afrikaner National Party, which was led by various leaders throughout its reign. This party governed South Africa until around 1994. Under apartheid, numerous laws were implemented, including the Natives Land Act of 1913, which limited land ownership for Black Africans to just 7 percent unless they were under the authority of a white master.

The National Party expanded upon this system of segregation, aiming to separate South Africa's white population from non-white individuals. They imposed hundreds of racial laws that severely restricted the rights and opportunities of non-whites, including prohibiting interracial relationships and marriages. Voting rights were also denied to non-white citizens, ensuring that the country's resources remained concentrated in the hands of the 4 million white individuals living in South Africa, while the non-white population was left with little.

The Race Classification Act divided the population into four categories: white people at the top, followed by Indian people, colored people, and Black people. Further subdivisions based on ethnic and tribal affiliations were also established.

In 1952, activists encouraged people to deliberately break apartheid laws as a form of protest, hoping that the number of arrests would overwhelm the system and contribute to its collapse. In response, the government passed the Public Safety Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act in 1953, imposing even harsher penalties for violations of these laws. Many protests resulted in injuries and, tragically, even deaths.

The apartheid regime enforced a variety of oppressive measures, including racial classification, land and housing segregation, political exclusion, and economic exploitation. Ultimately, apartheid began to unravel when Nelson Mandela was democratically elected as South Africa's first Black president. Prior to that, other forms of pressure, including economic and political movements, played a role in diminishing apartheid, with F.W. de Klerk, the state president of South Africa, taking significant steps to end the system in 1990.

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