desegregate

American  

[dee-seg-ri-geyt] / diˈsɛg rɪˌgeɪt /

verb (used with object)

desegregated, desegregating

1. to eliminate racial segregation in.

   to desegregate all schools.

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verb (used without object)

desegregated, desegregating

1. to eliminate racial segregation; to integrate at an institutional level members of different communities without regard to skin color.

desegregate British  

/ diːˈsɛɡrɪˌɡeɪt /

verb

1. to end racial segregation in (a school or other public institution)

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Other Word Forms

• desegregation
  noun
• desegregationist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of desegregate

First recorded in 1950–55; de- + segregate

Explanation

To desegregate is to stop separating groups of people by race, religion, or ethnicity. When a city desegregates its schools, it makes sure that all schools have racially diverse populations. The verb desegregate is the opposite of segregate, or "separate by race or religion." Both words are often used in connection with the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. In 1954, the Brown v Board of Education case desegregated public schools in the U.S., ruling that separate publicly funded schools for black and white students were unconstitutional.

Related Words

• integrate