Research Brief
America Becoming: The Growing Complexity of America's Racial Mosaic
Jan 1, 2001
Of the many disturbing labor-market trends in recent years, the stagnated wage gap between races may be the most disheartening. Race continues to be America's most persistent area of social and economic disparity. Many Americans were encouraged by the steady and significant economic progress Blacks made after World War II. The recent stagnation, however, challenges that optimism. In addition, the average economic status of Hispanics appears to be deteriorating at an even more alarming rate than that of Blacks. This paper describes major, long-term trends that have had an impact on the economic status of Blacks and Hispanics, including long-term trends that appear to be influenced mostly by skill-related factors. Also addressed are alternative explanations for the 1960s-to-1990s stagnation in the economic position of minority households; explanations include changes in schooling, quality of students, affirmative action, and rising wage inequality. In addition, the role of immigration in altering the labor-market position of Hispanic workers is analyzed.
Related Products
Originally published in: America Becoming: Racial Trends and Their Consequences, v. II, pp. 52-97.
This report is part of the RAND Corporation Reprint series. The Reprint was a product of the RAND Corporation from 1992 to 2011 that represented previously published journal articles, book chapters, and reports with the permission of the publisher. RAND reprints were formally reviewed in accordance with the publisher's editorial policy and compliant with RAND's rigorous quality assurance standards for quality and objectivity. For select current RAND journal articles, see External Publications.
This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.