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Title: Interracial Marriage in the United States, 1900-1980
Citation Type: Dissertation/Thesis
Publication Year: 1993
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Abstract: This study posits a juncture of historical context and the incidence of interracial marriage. Demographic opportunity structures are certainly important. But individuals also assess options and risks--both real and perceived--in making decisions. This cultural context changes historically. Interracial marriage provides a vantage point for analyzing shifts in the boundaries between groups. Interracial marriage is about race and about gender. And it is about conflicting ideals within American identity--community versus individual freedom of choice. Historical contexts in which individuals assess options--both real and perceived--are studied. The nature of the proscription against interracial marriage is described, using legal evidence and public opinion polls. Legal variations by time and region define cultural regions for interracial marriage, which affect both real opportunity and perceptions of risk. A measure of the level and type of popular debate is constructed through an analysis of citations in the Readers' Guide. These mass circulation magazines explicate the cultural debate over shifting options, expectations and social mores. Although there is debate over the full diversity within American society, most of the debate focuses on intermarriage between African-Americans and Caucasian-Americans. Finally, films are used to illustrate the power of the proscription in defining even fantasy and art. Public Use Microdata Samples of the United States Census from 1900 through 1980 are used to statistically analyze interracial marriage. National estimates of interracial marriage over time are established. These are further broken down by race, gender and region. Variables are constructed to compare actual marriage rates to the snapshot view of extant families measured by the census. Log-linear analysis examines the likelihood that different types of individuals will choose interracial marriage over remaining single, taking into account the demographic opportunities available. Perceptions are clearly critical. Popular opinion proves to be acutely attuned to differences in behavior and changes over time, even when those differences are difficult to measure because the numbers are extremely small.
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Authors: Kitchen, Deborah L.
Institution: University of Minnesota
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Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Publisher Location: Minneapolis, MN
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Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Family and Marriage, Race and Ethnicity
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