Apartheid was a government policy of complete racial separation that gave power mainly to the whites. The Dutch used apartheid in South Africa, while segregation was utilized in the United States. Because of the unfair treatment, black citizens rose up and fought to gain equality. The civil rights movements in these countries are similar because they were both effective in keeping the races apart, both had leaders who guided the movements, both had instances of citizen resistance, and both undermined the spirit of democracy. However, the movements also had clear differences in population and education. .
Systems of apartheid and segregation were very effective in keeping the races separate. In both cases, the main purpose was to separate the "dirty" blacks from the "clean" whites, and this was accomplished with a series of laws passed in each country limiting the rights of black citizens. In South Africa, a law was passed forcing black citizens to carry identification with them at all times; if they were caught without their passport, they were immediately arrested. Also, it was forbidden for black citizens to be in large cities such as Capetown and Johannesburg after a set curfew; if they were found in the cities after the designated time, they were again arrested. In the United States, Jim Crow laws banned black citizens from obtaining jobs and access to public places such as restaurants and hotels. The Plessy versus Ferguson Supreme Court case further widened the gap between blacks and whites. This trial was characterized by the "separate but equal doctrine," stating that as long as equal facilities were offered to each race, that the blacks could stay separate from the whites. Black citizens in each country began to realize how unfair they were being treated, and chose to rally for their rights. It took the hearts of many citizens, as well as courageous leaders, to help the blacks gain equality.
