South African apartheid, instituted in 1948 by the country's Afrikaner National Party, legalized segregation on the basis of race and is a system comparable to the segregation of Afro -Americans in the United States. Non-whites—including blacks, Indians, and people of color in general—were not allowed to engage in white-specific activities, nor were they allowed to marry, follow higher education and getting certain jobs. The National Party's classification of "race" was loosely based on physical appearance and lineage. White individuals were superficially defined as “obviously white” based on “their habits, education, and speech as well as their behavior and attitude”; a kind of analogous definition existed for all “races”. The apartheid system mimicked the Soviet Union's system in that all blacks and indigenous people were required to carry booklets containing fingerprints, photos, and other identification. In 1951, the country was divided into “Bantus”. “homelands” or districts in which certain races of individuals would be herded and given certain civil rights. Very early on, resistance to the contemptuous and racist nationals of apartheid mounted. , women and selected individuals such as Nelson Mandela are just a few examples of both active and passive resistance to apartheid which ultimately led to its downfall and the advent of a new era of cooperation between all South African peoples. The National Committee, first established in 1912, campaigned on a program of unity for all Africans for the sake of civil rights and freedoms. After the people came to power. from South Africa, regardless of ethnic origin. Works Cited “History of Apartheid”. Np, and Web. January 14, 2014. “Apartheid Timeline.” UN News Center. UN, nd Web. January 12, 2014. BBC News. BBC and Web. January 12, 2014. “A Brief History of the African National Congress.” A Brief History of the African National Congress. Np, and Web. January 11, 2014. “Nelson Mandela.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, and Web. January 12, 2014. “The O’Malley Archives.” 5. The ANC: stages of the struggle and political foundations, 1960-1994. Np, and Web. January 14, 2014. “Reports.” The role of women in the fight against apartheid. Np, and Web. January 14, 2014. “World Socialist Website.” » Mandela and the South African Communist Party -. Np, and Web. January 14, 2014. "December 10, 2013." Democracy now! Np, and Web. January 17. 2014.