Wage Compression and Wage Inequality Between Black and White Males in the United States, 1940–1960

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic History
Year: 1994
Volume: 54
Issue: 2
Pages: 358-381

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

The gap between the mean wages of black men and white men in the United States narrowed substantially between 1940 and 1950. There was, however, almost no change in this wage gap between 1950 and 1960. Some of this discontinuity in the path of black progress can be explained by general changes in the wage structure—wage compression in the 1940s and slight expansion in the 1950s. However, most of the gains of the 1940s were driven by race-specific factors, including increasing relative wages controlling for worker characteristics. These race-specific gains ceased in the 1950s.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:cup:jechis:v:54:y:1994:i:02:p:358-381_01
Journal Field
Economic History
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-25