de facto segregation

[ dee fak-toh seg-ruh-gey-shuhn, dey fak-toh ]

noun

1. racial, ethnic, or other segregation resulting from societal differences between groups, as socioeconomic or political disparity, without institutionalized legislation intended to segregate.

de facto segregation

1. Racial segregation , especially in public schools, that happens “by fact” rather than by legal requirement. For example, often the concentration of African-Americans in certain neighborhoods produces neighborhood schools that are predominantly black, or segregated in fact ( de facto ), although not by law ( de jure ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of de facto segregation¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Prosperity, especially for people of color, is tied to America’s ongoing struggle with de facto segregation.

From Seattle Times

Nate takes the lesson to heart; surviving rural Virginia’s continuing regime of de facto segregation requires a willingness to use violence as a tool against his oppressors.

From Los Angeles Times

Doing so, planners say, would help reverse the de facto segregation that remains in many areas because of previous discriminatory policies, such as redlining and restrictive racial covenants.

From Washington Post

White loathing of Black people was at the heart of legal and de facto segregation — including the voter suppression schemes now being crafted in states across this country.

From Washington Post

Half a century later, the development of the freeway system effectively walled off South and East Los Angeles, enforcing de facto segregation on the city.

From Los Angeles Times