Final answer:
In the early 20th century, elite universities used the Quota system to exclude minorities like Blacks, Jews, and Catholics by limiting their numbers in the student body. This system was part of broader discriminatory practices that included Jim Crow laws and segregation policies affecting many areas of public life.The correct answer is option D.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the early part of the 20th century, many elite universities used the Quota system to exclude Blacks and other minorities such as Jews and Catholics.
This system limited the number of students from certain ethnic or religious groups to ensure that these minorities remained a small, fixed percentage of the student bodies.
This practice was a part of the wider set of discriminatory policies which ranged from Jim Crow laws mandating racial segregation to various forms of de facto and de jure segregation across many facets of public life, including housing, employment, and education.
Moreover, Jim Crow laws institutionalized segregation primarily in the South although similar segregative practices were found in the North through means such as real estate covenants.
Higher education at the time was not exempt from these practices, resulting in significant barriers for African Americans and other minority groups in accessing educational opportunities that would lead to advancements in socio-economic status.
The quota system was one explicit mechanism which impeded the formation of a diverse student body, reflecting broader societal prejudices and legally-entrenched inequality, which perpetuated disparities that still have lasting impacts today.The correct answer is option D.