Full Citation
Title: Components of Race Differences in Men’s First Marriage Rates in the United States, 1960-2019
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2021
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Abstract: Wilson argued that race differences in the frequency of marriage in the 1970s and 1980s resulted from a shortage of marriageable men in the African American community. Most assessments of this hypothesis conclude that only part of the race difference in marriage can be ascribed to differences in marriageable men. I assess the impact of male income, occupation, employment status, and institutional residence on race differences in first marriage rates among men in the period from 1960 to 2019. I develop new measures of first marriage rates and apply them to U.S. Census microdata for the 1960-1980 period. I construct closely comparable measures from American Community Survey data for the period 2008 through 2019. I apply classic components analysis to assess the impact of population composition on race differences in male first marriage rates over the entire 1960-2019 period. The analysis shows that in the mid-to-late 20th century, race differences in economic composition fully explain race differences in first marriage rates; among men in similar circumstances in 1960 and 1970, Blacks married more often than did Whites. With the decline of the male-breadwinner family in the 21st century, the effects of male economic circumstances on race differences in marriage rates has diminished but remains substantial. Based on novel measures of first marriage rates, the components analysis provides strong support for Wilson’s argument in the 1960-1980 period. The results also document a substantial decline in the effects of male economic circumstances on first marriage rates over the past six decades.
Url: https://users.pop.umn.edu/~ruggles/Articles/Race-Marriage-2021.pdf
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Authors: Ruggles, Steven
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Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Family and Marriage, Gender, Population Data Science, Race and Ethnicity
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