EXPLAINING DIFFERENCES IN ECONOMIC-PERFORMANCE AMONG RACIAL AND ETHNIC-GROUPS IN THE USA - THE DATA EXAMINED

By utilizing self-reported race and ancestry, in the 1980 and 1990 USA censuses and the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition technique, the extent o f wage discrimination experienced by women and by men is examined acro ss 50 ethnic/racial groups. Systematic evidence of negative discrimina tion is revealed in both census years for Asian, Indian, black (Africa n-American), Vietnamese, Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Native Amer ican males. To assess the charge that the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition indicates cultural rather than discriminatory differentials, two addi tional data experiments are performed-one that controls for color and varies culture, and one that controls for culture and varies color. Ra ce appears to matter.