Antidiscrimination measures of the 1960s and occupational mobility: Evidence for black American men

Based on an Economy-wide index, I estimate that the occupational status of U.S. black men, relative to white men, rose an average of .5 percent per ye ar over the 1965-1981 period. After accounting for pre-existing trends, edu cation, and censoring supply factors, approximately 40 percent of the incre ase remains. I argue that these residual post-1964 effects may be attribute d to the antidiscrimination measures of the times, particularly Title VII o f the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Although there seems to be some cyclical ce nsoring, I uncover no evidence in support of the secular censoring hypothes is that observed post-1964 black male occupational progress results largely from black male labor supply declines. I assign about one-half of the 21 p ercent relative earnings gains by black men during 1965-1981 to occupationa l mobility. Compared with previous findings for black women, however; the r esults suggest substantially lower gains for black men. In addition, occupa tional advancement appears to explain a much smaller proportion of the earn ings increases for black men than for black women.