Segregation is defined as “the policy of keeping one group of people apart from another and treating them differently, especially because of race, sex, or religion.” Segregation was practiced in America until the Civil Rights Movement encouraged the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, ending legal discrimination “on the basis of his race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.”

A National Association of Scholars (NAS) 2019 report evaluating the reemergence of segregation in schools found that in 173 public and private schools studied nationwide, 43% offered residential segregation, 46% had segregated orientation programs, and 72% had segregated graduation ceremonies, although students were permitted to opt-out. 

In recent years, several prominent colleges made headlines, such as Columbia University, Harvard, Yale, Williams College, and Rutgers University, for offering separate graduation ceremonies or housing opportunities based on race/ethnicity or sexual identity. 

An April 2022 Pew Research poll found that “Blacks, Hispanics, and Asian American adults are more likely than White adults to say race, or ethnicity [...] first-generation status should be factors in college admissions.”