Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The policy was introduced by the National Party, a white minority government, with the aim of maintaining white political and economic dominance over the country's population. Under apartheid, people were classified into racial groups - White, Black, Colored (mixed race), and Indian - and segregated into separate residential areas, schools, hospitals, and facilities.

Black South Africans were subject to numerous oppressive laws and measures under apartheid, including the pass laws that restricted their movement and forced removals from their homes to designated areas known as townships. They were also denied political rights, access to quality education and healthcare, and equal opportunities for employment and economic advancement. Discrimination and violence against Black individuals and communities were widespread during this era.

Resistance to apartheid grew over the years, led by organizations such as the African National Congress (ANC) and leaders like Nelson Mandela. The international community also played a significant role in isolating and pressuring the South African government through sanctions and boycotts. In 1994, apartheid officially ended with the election of Nelson Mandela as the first Black president of South Africa in a fully democratic process, marking the beginning of a new era of equality and justice for all its citizens.