De Jure
De jure means established or authorized by law. In the school-segregation context, it describes segregation imposed or permitted by state laws, whether or not practices outside the law also shaped conditions.
De jure means established or authorized by law. In the school-segregation context, it describes segregation imposed or permitted by state laws, whether or not practices outside the law also shaped conditions.
Example: In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court ruled that state-sanctioned segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
Common misconception: De jure and de facto are not interchangeable: de jure concerns what law establishes or permits, while de facto concerns conditions in practice. Ending a legal system of segregation does not necessarily end segregation in practice.
Sources: National Archives, “Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka”; National Archives, “Brown v. Board of Education (1954)”