20th-century South Africa

South Africa has taken a unique path through modern history. While most of Africa consisted of European colonies until the 1950s and 60s, South Africa was an autonomous dominion under the British Crown from 1910, and independent from 1931. From 1948 to 1994, the apartheid policy of racial segregation caused tension within the country, and between the country and much of the rest of the world. The country peacefully transitioned from white minority rule to non-racial democracy under the leadership of Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress, yet it still struggles with racial tension and the remnants of the apartheid system are visible everywhere as a memorial to official racism.