How do de jure segregation and de facto segregation differ?

• A. De jure is segregation by law; de facto is segregation by practice or social conditions.
• B. De jure is only in the North; de facto only in the South.
• C. De jure refers to economic segregation; de facto to educational segregation.
• D. De jure is a modern term; de facto is historical only.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is the difference between legal status and social reality. De jure segregation means separation that is enforced by laws or official government actions—think of laws or court rulings that require separate facilities, schools, or services. De facto segregation, on the other hand, is separation that exists in practice even without legal mandates—it's produced by patterns in housing, economic disparities, school district boundaries, and everyday social behavior that end up leaving groups living apart.

So, the incorrect notion that de jure is about economic segregation and de facto about educational segregation isn’t accurate. The distinction isn’t limited to one issue area; it’s about whether segregation is mandated by law or arises from social and economic conditions. Both types can appear in education, housing, employment, and other areas. The important takeaway is: legal mandates create de jure segregation, while persistent social and economic patterns create de facto segregation.