1948 – South Africa Legalizes Apartheid

On May 25, 1948, South Africa’s National Party officially introduced apartheid, a system of legalized racial segregation that would dominate the country for nearly 50 years. Though discriminatory practices existed before, apartheid formalized them into law, dictating where Black South Africans could live, work, and travel. Under apartheid, non-white citizens were denied basic human rights and subjected to brutal policing, forced removals, and economic exclusion. The system drew global condemnation and gave rise to revolutionary figures like Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, and Winnie Mandela. Apartheid sparked decades of resistance, both domestically and internationally, and became a symbol of global racial injustice. The May 25 date is a somber reminder of how systems of white supremacy can be entrenched through law—and how dismantling them requires generations of courage, organizing, and international solidarity. It remains a turning point in the fight for racial justice worldwide.