Final answer:
People were historically separated into groups at administration buildings based on race, ethnicity, age, sex, or national origin enforced by policies such as Jim Crow laws in the U.S. and apartheid in South Africa. Over time, these segregations have been legally challenged and often repealed but their legacies persist.
Step-by-step explanation:
Throughout history, various societies have separated individuals based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, sex, or national origin. One of the most notorious systems of segregation was the Jim Crow laws in the United States. These laws mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in the states of the former Confederate States of America - a doctrine that became symbolized by the 'separate but equal' notion upheld by the Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. Meanwhile, in South Africa, a legally institutionalized policy of apartheid strictly divided people into racial categories and permeated every aspect of life.
Over time, and after countless struggles for civil rights and equality, many segregation policies have been struck down or repealed, but the effects linger in society. This includes the challenge of reuniting families that were separated due to immigration policies and addressing educational disparities highlighted in cases involving segregated schools, like that led by Barbara Johns in Farmville, Virginia. The enduring legacy of segregation presents ongoing challenges in addressing systemic inequality.