How do de jure and de facto segregation differ, and in which regions were they most relevant?

• A. De jure segregation is by law; de facto is by practice; de jure was more in the South, de facto in the North and urban areas.
• B. De jure is by tradition; de facto is by geography; de jure was in the North.
• C. De jure is by choice; de facto is mandated by law; de jure in urban areas.
• D. De jure is a myth; de facto is a legal term; de jure in the North.

Answer: (A)

De jure segregation means separation that is required or sanctioned by law, while de facto segregation happens in practice, through social patterns and economic conditions rather than formal statutes. In the United States, de jure segregation was built into law in the South through Jim Crow statutes and local ordinances that mandated separate schools, transportation, facilities, and services for Black and white people. By contrast, de facto segregation was common in the North and in many urban areas, where racial separation persisted because of housing patterns, redlining, restrictive covenants, and other discriminatory practices that kept neighborhoods and schools racially divided even without explicit laws mandating it. So, de jure is most associated with the South, and de facto with the North and urban centers.