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UNITfD STATES:
Their employment and
Economic Status

BULLETIN NO. 1119
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Maurico J. Tobin, Secretary
RURSAU OP LABOR STATISTICS
■won ClofM*, ComnilMionnr




NEGROES IN TH£ UNITED STATES:
Their Employment and
Economic Status

BU LLETIN

NO.

1119

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Maurice J. Tobin,Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Ewan Clague, Com m issioner

December 1952


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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS,
Washington, D. C., December 10, 1952.

The Secretary of Labor:
I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on Negroes in
the United States— Their Employment and Economic Status. The material,
focusing on recent national trends, was selected from a wide variety of
sources in order to present significant facts on the subject*
Publication of this bulletin continues more than a half century
of reporting on this subject by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 1896
the Department of Labor, predecessor of the present Bureau, issued a re­
port on "Conditions of the Negro in Various Cities" as part of its Bulle­
tin No. 10.
From all of the assembled information, two general facts emerge.
The first is that in almost every significant economic and social charac­
teristic that we can measure-— including length of life, education, employ­
ment, and income— our Negro citizens, as a whole, are less well-off than
our white citizens. The second is that in almost every characteristic
the differences between the two groups have narrowed in recent years.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics acknowledges with appreciation
the data made available by the Bureaus in the Department and other agen­
cies. The cooperation of the Bureau of Old-Age and Survivor's Insurance
of the Social Security Administration in the Federal Security Agency was
particularly helpful.
The report was originally prepared at the request of the
Subcommittee on Labor and Labor-Management Relations of the Senate Com­
mittee on Labor and Public Welfare of the 82d Congress. It was pro­
duced in the Bureau*s Division of Manpower and Employment Statistics.
Helen H. Ringe planned and prepared the report, with the assistance of
Sophia Cooper. Grace E. Payne compiled the bibliography.

Ewan Clague, Commissioner.

Hon. Maurice J. Tobin,
Secretary of Labor.




II

CONTENTS
Page
PERTINENT BACKGROUND DATA:
Growth in the population, 1900-1950 ........................ .
Number and proportion •.................... .................
Birth r a t e s .............................................. ..
Death rates ............................. ...................
Life expectancy............................................

1
1
1
3
3

Significant population changes, 194-0-50 .......................
Age distribution ..................................... ......
Urban-rural distribution ............. ..... .......
Interstate migration ............. .........................
Regional and Statevariations ...............................
Cities with 50,000 or more Negroes ..... ....................
Urban centers ............ ..................... ..........

3
3
5
5
5
7
7

Educational status, 1950 and 1 9 4 0 .............. ............
Educational attainment ............ ........................
School enrollment ..........................................

9
9
9

RECENT LABOR FORCE AH) EMPLOYMENT TRENDS:
Negroes in the labor force ......... ........................ ..
Proportion in the labor force ..............................
Unemployment..........
Status of married couples ..................................
Status among different age groups ......................... .

11
11
11
11
11

Industry trends in employment.............. ........... .
Trends among major industries, 1940-50 .................. .
Recent trends in industries .......... ......................

13
13
13

Occupational t r e n d s ..... ...........................
Major changes in occupational pattern, 1940-50 .............
Proportion of Negroes to total employment in
major occupations, 1940-52 ...........

15
15
17

Placement experience of public employment offices,
1940 y1944, and 1 9 5 1 ...................... ...................

19

Duration of employment on current jobs ............. .........

21

Work-life expectancy....... .......... ................... .

23

INCOME AND WAGES:
Income of families, 1945-50 ............... ...... ..........

24

Wage and salary income, 1939 and 1947-50 ......................

24

Insurance status and wage credits under OASI program..........

27

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
An annotated bibliography .....................................

53




III

CHARTS

Pertinent Background Data

1«
2.
3#
4*
5#
6#
7a

8a
9a

Population, 1900 and 1950 ...... ........................
Birth rates, selected periods, 1920-49 ................
Death rates, 1900 and 1 9 4 9 ............................ .
Life expectancy at birth, 1919-21 and 1949 ............ .
Percent changes in Negro and white population,
by age, 1940-50 ..................................... .
Percent change in Negro population, by State, 1940-50 •••
Large cities with more than 100 percent increase in
Negro population, 1940-50 ......... ...... ...........
Median school years completed by persons aged 25
and over, 1940 and 1950 ..............................
School enrollment as a percent of population of
school age, 1940 and 1950 ....................... .

Page
2
2
2
2
4
6
8
10
10

Recent labor Force and Employment Trends
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Percent of Negro and white population in the labor
force, 1951 ...................... ....................
Percent of Negro and white workers unemployed,
1947, 1949, and 1951 .................................
Percent of Negro and white men and women in the
labor force, by age, 1 9 5 1 ............................
Percent distribution of Negro men and women workers
among major industries, selected years, 1940-1952 .....
Proportion of Negro men and women to total employment
in selected occupations, 1940, 1944> and 1952 ........
Distribution of Negro and white workers, by duration
of current jobs, January 1951 .................... .
Median years on current job for Negro and white workers,
by farm and nonfarn residence, January 1951 ..... .
Total life expectancy and work-life expectancy of
Negro and white male workers, 1940 ........

12
12
14
16
18
20
20
22

Income and Wages
18.
19.
20.

Median income of Negro and white families, 1945 and 1949.
Median income of Negro and white wage and salary
workers, 1939 and 1947-50 ............................
Distribution of Negro and white workers, by annual
wage credits under 0ASI, 1949 ........................




IV

25
25
26

APPENDIX TABIES

Pertinent Background Data
Number

Page

1.
2.
3.

31
31

Population of the United States, by color, 1900-1950 ........
Estimated birth rates, by color, selected years, 1920-49 ....
Age-adjusted death rates by color: death-registration
States, selected years, 1900-1949 ..... ............ ......
4* Average number of years of life remaining at selected
ages, by color and sex, 1949 and 1919-21 ...... ...........
5. Population of the United States, by color, age,
and sex, 1950 and 1940 ................
6. Population by color and urban-crural residence, 1900-1950 ....
7. Percent distribution by migration status of the
population, by color, selected dates ............... .
8* Population by color, for divisions and States, 1950 and 1940.
9* Population by color, 1950 and 1940, for cities with
50,000 or more nonwhites in 1950 ......... ...... .
10. Population by color, in 1950, for cities of 50,000 or
more with more than 100 percent increase in nonwhite
population between 1940 and 1950 ................... .
11. Median school years completed by persons 25 years old
and over, by color and sex, 1950 and 1940 ....... .......
12. School enrollment of the population 5 to 24 years of
age, by color, 1950 and 1940 ........ ................. .

32
32
33
34
35
36
37

33
39
39

Recent Labor Force and Employment Trends
13.

14.
15.
16.

17.

18.

Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional
population, by color and sex, annual averages
1951, 1949, and 1947 .....................................
Percent distribution of married couples, by labor force
status of husband and wife, by color, 1950 and 1940 ....*••
Percent of the civilian population in the labor force,
by color, age, and sex, annual average 1951 ............ .
Percent distribution of employed men and women,
by major industry group and color, April 1950
and March 1940 ............... ........................ .
Percent distribution of employed nonwhite men and
women, by major industry group, April of selected
years, 1940-52 ..... .......... ................ .
Percent distribution of employed men and women, by
major occupational group and color, April 1950 and
March 1940 ...............................................




V

40
41
41

42

43

44

Number
19.

20.
21.
22.

Page
Proportion of nonwhite to total employment in each
major occupational group, by sex, April of selected
years, 194-0-52 ....................... .............,....
Nonagricultural placements, total and nonwhite, by major
industry division, April of 1951, 1944, and 1940 ........
Duration of current jobs of employed workers, by color,
sex, and farm-nonfarm residence, January 1951 ............
Average number of remaining years of life, in labor
force and in retirement, males, by color and by
urban-rural residence, 1940 ...... ................. .

45
46
47

£B

Income and Wages
23.
24.
25.

26.

Median money income of families, by color and
residence, 1945-50 ...... ...............................
Median wage and salary income of persons with wage and
salary income, by color, 1939 and 1947-50 ...............
Percent distribution of Negro and white workers, with
four quarters of employment in 1949, by amount of
annual wage credits, by sex ........................... .
Proportion of workers permanently insured and wage
credits, 1937-49, for workers with wage credits
under 0ASI in 1949, by sex and race ............ .........




VI

49
50

50

51

NEGROES IN THE UNITED STATES:
Their Employment and Economic Status

PERTINENT BACKGROUND DATA

Growth In the Population. 1900-1950
Number and Proportion ~ Fifteen and a half million Negroes l/
.constituted, in 1950, about 10 percent of the total 151 million popu­
lation in the United States, Between 1900 and 1950 the total popula­
tion doubled in size, with a more than 100 percent increase in the whitepopulation compared with an increase of almost 70 percent among Negroes,
(Chart 1)
The proportion of Negroes in the population has remained con­
stant since 1920, as shown in table 1, Although birth rates among
Negroes have been consistently higher than those among whites, mortality
rates are higher and average life expectancy is lower among Negroes than
among whites.

Birth Rates — The higher birth rates among Negroes, in com­
parison with whites, are shown in table 2, In 1949, the rate per 1,000
in the Negro population was 32,6, compared with 23*6 among whites. Since
1945 there have been, among both groups, significant increases in birth
rates. During the depression 30*s, sharp declines in birth rates oc­
curred among both Negroes and whites, (Chart 2)

1/

Most of the sources of statistical data used in this report provide
separate figures for white persons and all other persons. The latter
are identified in such statistical presentations as "nonwhites,"
The data for nonwhites are not usually separated as between Negroes
and other groups, hence there are no separate figures for Negroes,
Since Negroes comprise more than 95 percent of the nonwhite group,
the data for nonwhite persons as a whole reflect predominantly the
characteristics of Negroes, Therefore, in this report, while the
tables refer to all nonwhite persons, the text describes the charac­
teristics of Negroes on the basis of the data in these tables.




SELECTED FACTORS IN GROWTH OF NEGRO AND WHITE POPULATION

Chart 1. POPULATION, 1900 AND 1950

In Millions
150.7
135.2

iilifilll
' 76.0

1900

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




1950

So u rce :

U. S. B u r e a u of the C e n s u s a n d
N a t io n a l O ffic e o f V it a l S ta tistic s

Death Rates — Declines in death rates since 1900, shown in
table 3, reflect advances in medical science, control of infectious
diseases and general improvement in the standard of living. Death rates
among Negroes continue to be higher than the rates for whites but the
difference in the rates has consistently narrowed, particularly since
1935. In that year, the death rate among Negroes was 17.3 and among
whites 11.1 per 1,000 population, compared with a 1900 rate of 27.8 for
Negroes and 17.6 for whites. By 1949 the death rate for Negroes was
12.6, compared with 8.4 for whites. (Chart 3)

Life Expectancy — Marked increases during this century in
average life expectancy, as shown in table 4, have been due in large
measure to control of infectious diseases, particularly those of infancy
and early childhood. However, for both Negro men and women, average life
expectancy, especially during the earlier years of life, continues to be
less than that of whites, although there has been a narrowing of this
difference in recent years.
About 30 years ago, the average life expectancy at birth of a
Negro boy was 47 years, about 9 years less than that of a white boy.
For Negro girls, the comparable difference was about 11-1/2 years. By
1949, the life expectancy at birth for the average Negro boy had increased
to almost 59 years, and that of white boys to 66 years, a difference of
about 7 years. Negro girls at birth could expect to live to about age
63, about 8-1/2 years less them white girls. (Chart 4)

Significant Population Changes. 1940-50
Age Distribution — Table 5 compares the changes in the Negro
and white population which have occurred among different age groups be­
tween 1940 and 1950.
During this decade the total population increased nearly 15 per­
cent, with about equal increases among Negroes and whites. For both
groups, the greatest relative increases are found in the age class under
10 and among persons over 65 years of age reflecting higher birth rates
and greater longevity.
Most marked is the decline of 2 million in the white population
aged 10 to 19 years, the group which becomes the new workers of the next
decade. White males of these ages showed the largest relative decline—
11 percent. Among both Negroes and whites, only small increases occurred
in the group aged 20 to 34 years. Because workers in this age group are
traditionally preferred in hiring for new employment, this change in the
age composition of the population may contribute to increased employment
opportunity for younger Negroes. The situation may also add to the di­
lemma of employers whose hiring policies continue to favor white workers
and workers under 35 years of age.
(Chart 5)




Chart 5. PERCENT CHANGES IN NEGRO AND WHITE POPULATION
BY AGE, 1940-50
-10

0

PERCENT

10

20

30

40

50
1

TOTAL, ALL AGES

Under 10

10-19

20-34

35-44

45-64

65 Years and Over

-10

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

S o u rc e : U. S. B u r e a u of the C e n s u s

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




4

Urban-Rural Distribution — By 1950 the Negro population was
predominantly urban, with 60 percent living in urban areas. As shown
in table 6, the white population had become predominantly urban by
1920, The movement of the Negro to urban centers was greatly acceler­
ated during World War II, for in 194-0 more than half of all Negroes
lived in rural areas.

Interstate Migration — The extent to which Negroes moved
between States during World War II is shown in table 7. By the end
of 194-7, 14. percent (1.8 million) of all Negroes born on or before
April 1940 were living in a different State from the one in which they
lived in 1940. During this period about 10 percent of all whites moved
to a different State. The comparatively higher proportion of Negroes
moving between States in 1940-47 shows a different pattern than in other
years since 1935, when a comparatively higher proportion of whites shifted
residence between States.

Regional and State Variations — Table 8, showing the Negro
and white population in 1940 and 1950 for each State and geographic
region, reveals the shift of the Negro population, during this wartime
decade, from Southern to Northern, Central, and Western States. (Chart 6)
A resulting decline in the number and- proportion of Negroes
in the population occurred in West Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama,
Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
The Middle Atlantic, East North Central, and Pacific States
had the most appreciable increases in their Negro population, and the
percentage increases for Negroes far exceed those of the white popula­
tion.
Michigan’s Negro population more than doubled, whereas its
white population increased only 17 percent.
In California the Negro population increased 116 percent,
compared with a 50 percent increase among whites. California’s Negro
population of nearly 700,000 is exceeded in number only by that of
New York and the eight Southern States of Virginia, North and South Caro­
lina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.




- 5-

Chart 6. PERCENT CHANGE IN NEGRO POPULATION. BY STATE.
1940-50

PERCENT CHANGE :
100 and Over
50-99
25-49
Under 25
Decrease

[S o u rc e ;
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

BUREAU OF LABORST AT 1STICS



U. S. B u r e a u

of

th e

[C e n su s.'

Citiea with 50.000 or More Negroes — Table 9 shows the
27 cities with 50,000 or more Negroes in 1950— in all of which Negroes
constituted 10 percent or more of the total population of the city.
Thirteen of these cities are in Southern States, The table shows the
changes in the Negro and white population which occurred in these cities
between 1940 and 1950,
More than 4-1/2 million (or 29,5 percent) of the 15-1/2 million
Negroes in the United States were living in these 27 cities in 1950,
with nearly 24 million (or 17.6 percent) of all whites in the popu­
lation.

com­

pared

The proportion of Negroes in the total population of each city
declined only in the five Southern cities of Memphis, Tenn., Birmingham,
Ala., Houston, Tex., Norfolk, Va., and Dallas, Tex.
In this group, the cities with a more than 50 percent increase
in the Negro population in the last decad^ were: New York, Detroit, Wash­
ington, Chicago, Los Angeles, Cleveland, San Francisco, Newark, and
Oakland.
In 17 of these 27 cities, including only 3 in Southern States,
the percentage increase in the Negro population exceeded the increase
among whites. An actual decline in the number of whites in the popula­
tion occurred in Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Newark, and
Nashville. A major factor in the changing Negro and white composition
of the. population in cities has been the movement of whites to surround­
ing suburban areas.

Urban Centers
Table 10 shows those larger urban centers
in which the Negro population increased substantially in the last decade.
In each of these cities the Negro population increased by more than
100 percent. Much of the increase resulted from migration of Negroes
in response to wartime opportunities in employment.
In 1950 there were in the United States 232 cities with a
population of 50,000 or more; 64 were in the Southern States. Only two
of these Southern cities had increases of more than 100 percent in
their Negro population over the decade, whereas 43 cities, widely dis­
persed throughout the rest of the country, had doubled their Negro
population. (Chart 7)




7-

Chart 7. LARGE CITIES' WITH MORE THAN 100 PERCENT INCREASE
IN NEGRO POPULATION, 1940-50

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
bu r e a u o f l a b o r statist ic ^




Sourc«: U.S. B u re a u o f rh« C t n i u i

Educational Status. 1950 and 1940
Educational Attainment — As shown in table 11, in 1950
Negroes aged 25 and over had completed an average of 7 years of
school, almost 3 years less than the average for whites. This repre­
sents an increase, since 1940, of a year or more for both groups. The
highest increase of 1.3 years occurred among Negro women. In both
1940 and 1950, the educational attainment of Negro and white men was
exceeded by that of women. (Chart 8)

School Enrollment — The percentage of all Negroes aged 5
to 24 enrolled in school increased appreciably between 1940 and 1950.
At ages 14 and over the percentage of Negroes in school was lower than
among whites, although the difference has narrowed over the decade.
About 15 percent of all Negroes aged 18 to 24 were enrolled in school
in 1950, compared with 9 percent in 1940. The increase was proportion­
ately much greater than among whites. It is significant that in 1950
the percentage of Negroes aged 18 to 24 who were enrolled in school was
slightly above that of whites of the same ages in 1940. (See table 12
and chart 9)




- 9-

EDUCATION OF NEGRO AND WHITE PERSONS
Chart 8. MEDIAN SCHOOL YEARS COMPLETED BY PERSONS
AGED 25 AND OVER, 1940 AND 1950

Chart 9. SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AS A PERCENT OF POPULATION

1940

1950
A g e 5-13

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




1940

1950
A g e 14-17

1940

1950
A g e 18-24

So u rce : U. S. B u re a u of the C e n s u s

REGENT LABOR FORCE AND EMPLOYMENT TRENDS

Negroes in the Labor Force
Proportion in the Labor Force — The proportion of Negroes
in the labor force has been consistently higher than for whites# This
has resulted entirely from the fact that a greater percent of Negro
women, particularly married women, are in the labor force compared with
white women. Data for recent years on labor force status of Negroes
and whites are presented in table 13* About 63 percent of all Negroes
aged 14 years and over were in the labor force compared with about
57 percent of all whites. The proportion of males was about the same
for both groups— 84 percent— but for women, the rate for Negroes was
45 percent and that for whites about 30 percent.
(Chart 10)

Unemployment — Table 13 shows that for both Negro men and
women the average rate of unemployment, from 1947 to 1951, has been
more than 50 percent above that for whites. Although the rate was about
5 percent for Negroes in 1951, compared with 3 percent for whites, about
the same relative improvement had taken place since 1949 when the economic
situation was less favorable. (Ghart 11)

Status of Married Couples — Table 14, showing the labor force
status of married couples in 1950 and 1940, indicates that in both periods
a higher proportion of Negro wives were in the labor force than were
white women. In 34 percent of the married negro couples in 1950, both the
husband and the wife were in the labor force compared with 21 percent
among white couples. Among both groups the percent of couples with both
members in the labor force had increased between 1940 and 1950, with a
greater relative increase among whites. Among married couples where the
husband was not in the labor force, the proportion of Negro wives in the
labor force was higher than among whites.

Status Among Different Age Groups — Table 15 shows, for 1951,
the variations at different ages in the labor force status of Negroes in
comparison with white men and women. (Chart 12)
About 84 percent of all Negro and white men were in the labor
force. However, a significantly higher proportion of Negro men under
age 20 and over age 65 were in the labor force. For both Negro and white
men between the ages of 20 and 64, the rates of labor force participation
were comparable.

236871 0 —53-----3




-

11

-

Chart 10. PERCENT OF NEGRO AND WHITE POPULATION
IN THE LABOR FORCE, 1951

Percent

100

100

80

60

40

20

0
BOTH SEXES

Percent

MEN

WOMEN

Chart 11. PERCENT OF NEGRO AND WHITE WORKERS
UNEMPLOYED, 1947, 1949, AND 1951

1947

1949

Percent

1951

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABORl
ju kau

So u rce :

o f la b o r st a t ist ic s




12

U.S. B u re a u o f th o C e n s u s

The pattern among women shows some significant contrasts.
The proportion of Negro women in the labor force was higher than for
whites in every age group except ages 18 to 24. At ages 18 to 19 years,
54 percent of all white women were in the labor force in comparison with
40 percent of Negro women of the same ages. Among white women the rate
of labor force participation dropped after age 20, about the average age
of marriage, whereas for Negro women the rate increased through the age
group 45 to 54. At ages 25 to 54 more than 50 percent of all Negro women
were in the labor force, in comparison with less than 40 percent of white
women in this age group.

Industry Trends in Employment
Trends Among Major Industries. 1940-50 — Table 16 shows the
changes in the distribution of employed Negro men and women among the
major industries between the decennial censuses of 1940 and 1950. Com­
parison with the changes among white workers shows some significant
differences.
During this wartime decade there was an appreciable increase
in the proportion of all Negro men employed in construction, manufactur­
ing, and wholesale and retail trade. In 1950, the 8 percent of all 3-1/2
million employed Negro men who were working in the construction industry
almost equaled the percentage of all white workers so employed. The
22 percent, of all employed Negroes in manufacturing in 1950 compared with
27 percent of all employed white men. There was a greater decline among
Negroes in the proportion employed in agriculture in comparison with
whiteso
Among almost 2 million Negro women working in 1950, employment
continued to be largely concentrated in the service industries, although
the percentage decreased from about 75 percent in 1940 to 65 percent in
1950. The proportion of all Negro women employed in manufacturing and
wholesale and retail trade more than doubled. However, in 1950 only
about a tenth of employed Negro women, compared with a fourth of employed
white women, were working in each of these two industries.

Recent Trends in Industries
Table 17 indicates the extent
to which the changing industrial pattern of Negro employment, accelerated
by wartime manpower demands, has been maintained during the postwar period.
This table presents data from the Monthly Report on the Labor Force for
April of 1940, 1944, 1948, 1950,and 1952. These data show, in general,
a continuation of the pattern revealed by table 16, presenting decennial
census data for 1940 and 1950. (Chart 13)




- 13 -

Chart 12. PERCENT OF NEGRO AND WHITE MEN AND WOMEN
IN THE LABOR FORCE, BY AGE, 1951
P«rc«nt

Ptrw nt

14UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS



S o u r c o : U.S. B u r o a u of tho C o n s u l

The proportion of all employed Negro men and women working
in agriculture has continued to decline. Among all employed Negro men
the proportion working in manufacturing increased from 22 to 26 percent
between 1950 and 1952, 3 percent above the wartime year 1944. The most
significant increase since 1950 has been in durable goods manufacturing
in which the defense program caused the greatest relative expansion.
Except in mining and the transportation, communications, and public utili­
ties industries, the proportion of Negro men in other nonagricultural
industries has continued to rise above that of 1944.
About 94- percent of employed Negro women were working in nonagri­
cultural industries in 1952, compared with 89 percent in 194/-. However,
the proportion employed in manufacturing has declined to 7 percent in 1952
from 13 percent in 194/-. The percentage has not increased during the de­
fense program years 1950 to 1952. The proportions employed in trade and
finance, and in government and professional services have increased since
1950 and are above the wartime proportions of 194-4. The percentage of
Negro women employed in domestic and personal service has declined between
1950 and 1952 but is above that of 1944*

Occupational Trends
Major Changes in Occupational Pattern. 1940-50 — Table 18
shows the occupational distribution of employed Negro and white men and
women for the two decennial censuses of 1940 and 1950. Comparison of
changes among Negroes and whites reveals the significant shifts which
occurred during a wartime decade.
Among employed Negro men the most appreciable increases were
in the occupational groups of clerical workers, craftsmen, and opera­
tives. In 1950, 20 percent of employed Negro and white men were work­
ing as operatives, with a significantly greater increase since 1940
in the proportion of Negroes. During that decade the proportion of
Negroes employed as craftsmen almost doubled, but less than 8 percent
were employed in this skilled occupational group in 1950, far below
the 19 percent of employed white men who were craftsmen. The 3 percent
of Negro men in clerical work in 1950 was about half the proportion of
white men in this occupational group. The proportion of Negro men in
professional occupations in 1950 was low— about 2 percent compared with
8 percent for whites. Although appreciable gains up the occupational
ladder have been made during the last decade, in comparison with white
workers, Negroes are predominantly employed in the lower paying and
less skilled occupations such as operatives, laborers, and service
workers.




- 15 -

Chari 13. PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF NEGRO MEN AND WOMEN
WORKERS AMONG MAJOR INDUSTRIES
SELECTED YEARS. 1940-1952

Women

1940

Percent

1948

1944

1950

1952

O t h o r In d u s t r ie s In c l u d e | f o r M en:

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




M in in g , T r a n s p o r t a tio n , C o m m u n ic a t io n a n d
P ublic U tilitie s , a n d D o m e stic a n d P e r s o n a l S e rv ic e .

W o m e n : M in in g , C o n s tru c tio n , a n d T r a n sp o rt a tio n ,
C o m m u n ic a t io n a n d P u blic U tilitie s-

16

S o u rce :

U. S. b u re a u o f tho C o n s u s

The majority of employed Negro women worked in service occu­
pations in 1950— -although the proportion had declined to 60 percent
from the 69 percent in this occupational group in 1940* The proportion
of Negro women employed as clerical workers and semiskilled operatives
increased between 1940 and 1950. However, in 1950 only 4 percent were
in clerical occupations in comparison with 30 percent of all employed
white women. About 15 percent of Negro women workers were semiskilled
operatives in 1950— double the proportion in 1940. But the proportion
was below the 20 percent of white women in this occupation. In 1950
the 6 percent of Negro women in professional occupations was less than
half the proportion of white women in this occupational group.

Proportion of Negroes to Total Employment in Major Occupa­
tions. 1940-52 — Table 19 shows the proportion which Negro men and
women represented in the total employment in each major occupational
group in prewar 1940, wartime 1944, and postwar 1948, 1950, and 1952.
In reading this table it is useful to recall, as explained in table 1,
that Negroes constitute 10 percent of the total population.
The data show that the highest proportions of Negro workers
continue to be found in the lower paying and less skilled occupations,
such as service workers and laborers. Comparatively low proportions
of Negroes are found in the professional, technical, managerial, cleri­
cal, sales, and craftsmen occupations.
(Chart 14)
However, the shift of Negroes into better paying occupations
and more skilled occupations, accelerated during the war years, has in
general been maintained.
In the professional occupations the proportion of Negro men
remained about 3 percent, while the proportion of Negro women had in­
creased to 7 percent by 1952. A large part of this increase is un­
doubtedly due to the increased demand for Negro school teachers, which
has resulted from the postwar increase in population of children of
elementary school age.
Among craftsmen the proportion of Negroes is still low, but
it has consistently increased since 1940 to 4 percent in 1952.
Among semiskilled operatives, Negro men in 1952 constituted
10 percent of all workers, about the same as in 1944 and 1948, and
almost double the proportion in 1940. In April 1950, before the in­
dustrial expansion which followed the hostilities in Korea, the per­
centage had declined to 8.5. The percentage of Negroes among women
operatives, which had reached over 8 percent in 1944 and 1948, had
declined to about 7 percent in 1952.




- 17

Chart 14. PROPORTION OF NEGRO MEN AND WOMEN TO TOTAL
EMPLOYMENT IN SELECTED OCCUPATIONS, 1940, 1944 AND 1952
---------------------------------- Men------------------------------------Percent

Women----------------------------------Percent

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR!

. .
S o u r c e : U*S. B u r e a u o f th« C t n u i l

bu r ea u of la b o r st a t ist ic s !




-

18

-

In clerical and sales occupations the percentage of Negro
men and women doubled between 1940 and 1944> and has increased in the
postwar years. However, Negroes have constituted only 3 percent or
less of employment in this occupational field.
Negro women still constitute more than 50 percent of all
women in private household work and 20 percent of other service
workers.

Placement Experience of Public Employment Offices. 1940. 1944. and 1951
Table 20 reflects the placement experience of public employ­
ment offices in nonagricultural occupations in April 1951, 1944> and
1940, as reported by the Bureau of Employment Security
That Bureau
stated, in presenting these data:

3J

"Although nonwhite workers comprised only one-tenth
of the civilian labor force, they accounted for 30 percent
of all placements by public employment offices during the
month of April 1951. A comparison with earlier years shows
a decline from 21 percent of total placements in 1940 to
19 percent in 1944> followed by a rise to 28 percent in 1948.
"The growing acceptance of nonwhites by employers is
illustrated by the ratio of placements of nonwhites to total
placements in such industries as manufacturing, trade, and
construction. Nonwhites accounted for only 9 percent of all
placements in manufacturing establishments in April 1940,
compared with 13 percent in April 1944 and 16 percent in
April 1951. The advance in trade was more significant— from
9 percent of total placements in April 1940, to 21 percent
in April 1944 and 24 percent in April 1951. Placements of
nonwhites in construction moved up from 21 percent of the
total in April 1940 to 23 percent in 1944 and 30 percent of
the total in April 1951. Coincident with the rise over 1940
in the proportions of placements of nonwhites in manufacturing,
trade, and construction, the proportion of placements of
nonwhites in service industries increased substantially.
Nonwhites accounted for about one-third of all job placements
in service industries in April 1940, nearly one-half in April
1944> and slightly more than one-half of the total in April
1951."

2/

U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment Security, The
Status and Characteristics of Nonwhites in the Labor Force as
of April 1951. n. 12. (mimeo.)

236871 0 —53-----4




- 19 -

Chart 15. DISTRIBUTION OF NEGRO AND WHITE WORKERS,
BY DURATION OF CURRENT JOBS 'J, JANUARY 1951

Men

lOOf Percent

100 Percent

Women

Chari 16. MEDIAN YEARS ON CURRENT JOB!/
FOR NEGRO AND WHITE WORKERS.
BY FARM AND AND NONFARM RESIDENCE, JANUARY 1951

y

See

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




p e g * 21 f o r d e f i n i t i o n
o f c u r r e n t jo b

-

20-

Source:

U. S. B u r e a u

o f th e C e n s u s .

Duration of Employment on Current Jobs
The number of years he has worked on his current job is an
important factor in the employment status of a worker, with especially
significant effects on seniority rights and related benefits based on
length of service.
The extent to which Negroes have this security based on length
of service, compared with white workers, is indicated by a sample sur­
vey made by the Bureau of the Census in January 1951. The study sought
to ascertain the length of time the approximately 59 million persons
employed in January 1951 had worked at their current jobs. For wage and
salary workers, a job was defined in this survey as a continuous period
of employment (except for vacations, strikes, short-term lay-offs, etc.)
with a single employer, even though the person may have worked at several
different occupations while working for that employer. (Charts 15 and 16)
Table 21 shows that Negro workers had been on their current
jobs an average of 2.4- years, compared with an average of 3.5 years
among white workers.
Among men who live in urban areas, about one out of six of
both Negro and white workers had obtained their current jobs between
January 1940 and August 1945, a period stretching from the beginning
of the defense program to the end of World War II. However, 20 percent
of urban white men and only 13 percent of urban Negroes had worked on
their current jobs since before January 1940. Among farm men, the 28
percent of white men who had worked on their current jobs since before
1940 was almost double the comparable percentage among Negroes. Among
Negro farm men about 38 percent had obtained their current jobs within
the last year, compared with about 22 percent of the white farm men.
Among urban and farm women, the data for both Negroes and
whites reflect the intermittent character of the labor force participa­
tion of women because of household and family responsibilities. However,
the proportion of Negro women who have been on their current jobs since
before August 1945 is appreciably lower than among white women. Negro
women have been on their current jobs an average of 1.7 years, compared
with an average of 2.3 years for white women.




21 -

Chart 17. TOTAL LIFE EXPECTANCY AND WORK-LIFE EXPECTANCY
OF NEGRO AND WHITE MALE WORKERS, 1940
At Age 20

At Age 60

477

Years

39.8

IN RETIREMENT

llllllir

IN LABOR FORCE

*y**gift/t-sf* f*

ill*
A(Fy/w

NEGRO

* m* m*/ / /

WHITE

NEGRO

WHITE

At Age 60, By Residence
URBAN

RURAL

Ye ars

15.9

16 2

NEGRO

WHITE

14.1

IN RETIREMENT

IN LABOR FORCE

NEGRO

WHITE

S o u r c e : N a t io n a l O ffice , of
V i t a l S t a tis t ic s a n d
B u re a u of L a b o r
S t a tis t ic s.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
bu r ea u o f l a b o r st a t ist ic




22

Work-Life Expectancy
A study of the length of working life for men shows that
under 1940 conditions, the average life expectancy for the nonwhite
worker aged 20 was about 8 years less than that for a white youth of
the same age.
His working life expectancy of 36.2 years was about
5- 1/2 years less than for the white worker— largely reflecting his
poorer chances of surviving through the prime of his working life.
As shown in table 22, the differences between whites and
nonwhites in both total life expectancy and work-life expectancy
gradually narrowed after age 20. By age 60, the working life expect­
ancy of the surviving nonwhite workers actually exceeded that of white
workers. These differences reflect the relatively low mortality rates
among surviving nonwhites at advanced ages. They also reflect, in
comparison with whites, the predominantly rural composition and the
lower rates of retirement from the labor force among rural nonwhites
in the upper age groups. (Chart 17)
However, for urban nonwhites the chances of retirement
from the labor force, beginning about age 60, were substantially higher
than for whites. This is due, in part, to the relatively higher rates
of unemployment among nonwhites and the resulting greater tendency to
withdraw from the labor force. Other contributing factors are a higher
incidence of disability and a much greater concentration of Negroes im
unskilled and semiskilled jobs in which age and physical disability are
likely to be greater handicaps to continued employment.J/

2/

Tables of Working Life. Length of Working Life for Men. lT. S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bulletin 1001,
August 1950.




- 23 -

INCOME AND WAGES

Income of Families. 19A5-50
Table 23 and chart 18 present the median money income of all
Negro and white families for the years 194-5-50. In 1950, Negro families
had an average annual income of $1 ,869, 54- percent of the average income
of $3,44-5 among white families. The differential seems particularly wide
in view of the fact that a higher proportion of Negro family members are
in the labor farce. The data in the previous section on labor farce and
employment show that a higher proportion of Negro mailes under age 20 and
women over age 24 are in the labor force than is the case among whites.
An important factor in changes in average annual income of all Negroes
between 1945 and 1950 has been their continuing shift into nonagricultural
employment, as explained in preceding sections.
In 1945, the last year of World War II, the average money income
of all Negro families was almost 57 percent that of whites— a comparative
level that has not again been reached in more recent years.
There is a relatively smaller differential between Negroes and
whites for urban as compared with rural families. In 1949 the average in­
come of urban Negro families was 58 percent of the average among white
families— a decline from 66 percent in 1945. The urban Negro family in
1949 had an average annual income of about $2 ,100, compared with an aver­
age of about $3,600 for white families. Between 1945 and 1949 the average
income of white families had increased by over $500 whereas among Negro
families it remained practically unchanged.
Among rural farm families the median money income of Negroes in­
creased from $559 in 1945 to $691 in 1949 when it was about 40 percent of
the average for white families. This, however, represented a decline from
the high postwar average of $1,026 in 1947, when it was almost 48 percent
of the average among white families on farms. The money income of both
Negro and white families living on farms remained low and increased rela­
tively less than that of rural nonfarm and urban families in the years
1945-49. An important factor is the greater income "in kind" of farm
families and their relatively lower cost of living.

Wage and Salary Income. 1939 and 1947-50
Table 24 shows the median income of Negro and white wage and
salary workers in recent years and in 1939. In 1950 the Negro wage and
salary worker earned an average of about $1 ,300, or 52 percent of the aver­
age for white workers. Since 1939 the average for Negro workers has in­
creased relatively more than for whites. In 1939 the average income for
Negro wage and salary workers was about $400— less than 40 percent of the
average for white wage earners. (Chart 19)




Chart 18. MEDIAN INCOME OF NEGRO AND WHITE FAMILIES.

J

Negro)___
W h it e M !

1945 AND 1949

Thousands of
Dollars

Chart 19. MEDIAN INCOME OF NEGRO A N D WHITE
„ ,
D o lla r,

WAGE A N D SA LA RY WORKERS,
1939 AND 1947-50

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

S o u r c * : U.S. B U R E A U O F THE C E N S U S

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




White ■ H U

25

Chart 20. DISTRIBUTION OF NEGRO AND WHITE WORKERS,i/
BY ANNUAL WAGE CREDITS UNDER OASI, 1949
Women

Men

Percent

Percent

1 100

lOOj

80

◄

80

60

◄

60

40

◄

40

20

◄ 20

|

0

In c lu d e s
th e

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Source:

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




W ork e rs

C a le n d a r

Federal

B u re au

- 26 -

O n ly

Four

S e c u r it y

o f O ld

Age

W it h

W age

Q u a rte rs of

Agency,
and

C r e d it s

F or

1949.

S o c ia l

S u r v i v o r ’s

S e c u r it y
In s u r a n c e

A d m in is t r a t io n ,

Insurance Status and Wage Credits Under OASI Program
Data available from the records of the Bureau of Old-Age
and Survivors Insurance, on workers covered by the provisions of
the Social Security Act which it administers, substantiate the fact
that the wages of Negroes are generally below those of white men
and women,

ij

Among other things, these data indicate the comparatively
lower level of benefits available for Negro workers and their sur­
vivors when they retire or die, and their relatively greater diffi­
culty in acquiring adequate protection against the hazards of old-age
under social insurance programs. They indicate the economic reasons
which can contribute to a higher incidence of indigency among Negroes
than among whites, as well as to a generally lower standard of living.

Annual Wage Credits. 1949 — Table 25 presents an example of
pertinent data for 194-9, the last year for which these data are currently
available. It shows the wage credits for Negro and white men and women
who were employed in all quarters of 194-9. j>/ Agricultural and domestic
workers were among the groups not "covered" in 1949 by governing legisla­
tion. Therefore, workers in these relatively low-paid occupations are
not included in these data.
(Chart 20)
Among white men, 52 percent had wage credits of $3,000, the
annual creditable maximum, compared with only 14 percent of Negro men.
Almost 45 percent of Negro men had wage credits of less than $1,800,
compared with only 14 percent of white men.
The annual wage credits of both Negro and white women are
significantly lower than those of men. However, about 80 percent of
Negro women had wage credits of less than $1,800, compared with about
50 percent of white women. Only 6 percent of the Negro women had wage
credits of $2,400 or more, compared with 22 percent of white women.

u
1/

See Handbook of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Statistics, issued
annually by the Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, Social
Security Administration, Federal Security Agency.
See explanation of terms on p. 28.




- 27 -

Insurance Status — Under legislation governing the old-age
and survivors insurance program, the insurance status of the worker is
defined as his position, as of a specified date, with respect to quar­
ters of coverage required either* (l) to meet the eligibility conditions
for primary benefits; or (2 ) to enable his dependents or, in the event
of his death, his survivors to establish eligibility for benefits.
Table 26 presents pertinent data on the comparative status,
under the OASI program, of Negro and white men and women as of January 1,
1950, before the Social Security Act Amendments of 1950.
The following explanation of terms, although not comprehensive
definitions, will be helpful in understanding the data presented in
table 26 :
Quarter of Employment — A calendar quarter in which an
individual has been paid taxable wages of $1 or more.
In addition, a worker who receives wage credits of $3,000
in a year is deemed to have been employed in each quarter
in a given year after his first quarter of employment in
the year.
Quarter of Coverage — A calendar quarter in which the
worker has been paid wages of at least $50 in covered
employment, or any quarter after his first quarter of
coverage in any year in which he has wage credits of

$3,000.

Wage Credits — Taxable wages which can be included in
computing a primary benefit amount.
Permanently Insured — A worker who has 40 or more quar­
ters of coverage or, at least, a sufficient number of
quarters to be fully insured when he attains age 65 •
Broadly defined, a worker is "fully insured" at age 65
if he has at least 1 quarter of coverage for each 2
elapsed quarters after 1936, and a minimum of 6 quarters
of coverage, or he has 40 or more quarters of coverage.
(There were a total of 52 elapsed quarters in the 13
years between January 1, 1937, and January 1 , 1950.)
Table 26 shows that the higher proportion of white workers,
in comparison with Negroes, have been able to acquire permanent insurance
status since the 0ASI program was inaugurated on January 1, 1937. As of
January 1, 1950, 37 percent of white men with wage credits in 194-9 were
permanently insured compared with 22 percent of Negro men. Among women,
17 percent of the white workers had attained this same status whereas
only 6 percent of Negro women had done so. The difference in the pro­
portions reflects the more intermittent attachment of the Negro to
employment covered by the OASI program.




- 28 -

Cumulative Wage Credits. 1937-49 — A comparison of the
wage credits which Negro and white workers have accumulated since
the OASI program was inaugurated in 1937 further substantiates the
lower earnings of Negroes. During the period 1937-49* white men with
wage credits in 1949 accumulated average wage credits of about 15- 1/2
thousand dollars compared with about 9 thousand dollars for Negro men.
White women had an average of about 7-1/2 thousand dollars compared
with about 4 thousand dollars for Negro women.
The average wage credits per quarter employed during this
period show that those of Negro workers are about two-thirds of the
average for whites. Negro men had average quarterly wage credits of
$330, compared with $495 for white men. For Negro women the average
was $226, compared with $316 for white women.

Quarters of Coverage. 1937-49 — The median age of 34.9 years
of all workers with wage credits in 1949 reflects the predominance of
younger age groups in the labor force. (Workers under 45 years of age
constitute, in general, about two-thirds of the labor force.) Hence,
the majority of employed workers could not attain the maximum quarters
of coverage possible since 1937 when the program was inaugurated. How­
ever, the data in table 26 show that, as of January 1, 1950, white
workers were able to attain comparatively more quarters of coverage than
did Negro workers. Although the median age of Negro and white women
was almost identical,at about 32 years, white women had earned 21 quar­
ters of coverage compared with 15 quarters among Negro women. Moreover,
the proportion of quarters of employment in which the worker was paid
wages of at least $50 (and thus gained a quarter of coverage) was about
5 percent less among Negro men and women workers than among white men
and women. The data reflect the more casual and intermittent attachment
of the Negro worker to employment covered by the OASI insurance program.




- 29 -




APPENDIX TABIES
Table 1.— Population of the United States, by color,

1900

-

1950

Nonwhite
Total

Year

Number

Percent

(In thousands)
1950 .........
1 9 4 0 .........
1930 .........
1920 .........
1 9 1 0 .........
1900 .........

Source;

150,697
131,669
122,775
105,711
91,972
75,995

15,482

10.3

13,454
12 ,48S

10.2
10.2

10,890
10,240

10.3

9,185

11.1
12.1

U. S. Bureau of the Census

Table 2.— Estimated birth rates, l/ by color, selected years,
1920-A9”

Nonwhite

Ihite

Year
(Rate per 1,000 population)

1949
1947
1945
1940
1935
1930

1920
1/

.............
............ .
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............

32.6
31.1

26.6
26.7

25.8
27.5
35.0

Corrected for underregistration.

Source:

National Office of Vital Statistics




- 31

23.6
26.1
19.8
18.6
17.9

20.6
26.9

l/

Table 3.— Age-adjusted death rates
by color: death-registration States,
selected years, 1900-1949

Nonwhite

White

Year
(Rate per 1,000 population)

1949
1947
1945
1940
1935
1930

..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
1920 ..............
1 9 1 0 ........... .
1900 ..............

1/

12.6
12.8

8.4

13.5

9.2

16.2
17.3

10.2
11.1

20.1
20.6

11.7
13.7

24.1
27.8

17.6

8.8

15.6

Based on 194-0 age distribution of the population.

Source:

National Office of Vital Statistics

Table 4.— Average number of years of life remaining at selected ages,
by color and sex, 1949 and 1919-21

Nonwhite
Age and sex
1949

Hale:
At birth ... 58.6
2 0 ........ 43.5
4 0 ........ 27.2
6 0 ....... . 15.3
Female:
At birth ...
20 ___ ____
4 0 ........
6 0 ........

1/

62.9
47.1
30.4
17.7

1919-21 1/

White
Net
Increase

47.1
38.4
26.5
14.7

11.5
5.1
.7

46.9
37.2

16.0

25.6
14.7

.6

9.9
4*8
3.0

1949

Source:

National Office of Vital Statistics

- 32 -

Net
Increase

65.9
49.3
30.9
15.5

56.3
45.6
29.9

9.6
3.7

15.2

.3

71.5
54.2
35.3
18.3

58.5
46.5
30.9
15.9

13.0

Based on death-registration States of 1920.




1919-21 1/

1.0

7.7
4.4
2.4

Table 5. —

Population of the United States, by color, age, and sex,
1950 and 194-0

Change, 1940-50
Nonwhite

White

Age and sex

Number
1950

1940

1950

1940

Nonwhite

Percent
White

Nonwhite

White

(in thousands)
T o t a l .........
Under 10 .....
1 0 - 1 9 .....
20 - 34......
35 - 44-.....
4 . 5 - 6 4 ......
65 and over ..

15,482
3,517
2,803
3,660
2,201
2,425
879

13,454
2,668
2,763
3,476
1,880
2,028

Male •..••••••••
Under 10 •••••
1 0 - 1 9 .....
20 - 34 .....
35 - 44 .....
45 - 64 .....
65 and over ..
Female •••••••••
Under 10 •••••
1 0 - 1 9 .....
20 - 34 .....
35 - 44 .....
45 - 64 .....
65 and over ••

640

135,215
26,048
19,290
31,361
19,050
28,019
11,443

118,215
18,558
21,316
29,451
16,453
24,056
8,379

2,028
849
40
I84
321
397
239

17,000
7,490
-2,026
1,910
2,597
3,963
3,064

15.1
31.8
1.4
5.3
17.1
19.6
37.3

14.4
40.4
-9.5
6.5
15.8
16.5
36.6

7,672
1,834
1,376
1,753
1,074
1,202
432

6,613
1,328
1,358
1,634
915
1,054
324

66,961
13,292
9,606
15,363
9,431
13,991
5,279

59,449
9,446
10,774
14,579
8,250
12,317
4,082

1,059
506
18
119
159
148
108

7,512
3,846
-1,168
784
1,181
1,674
1,197

16.0
38.1
1.3
7.3
17.4
14.0
33.3

12.6
40.7
-10.8
5.4
14.3
13.6
29.3

7,810
1,683
1,427
1,907
1,127
1,221
445

6,841
1,340
1,405
1,842
965
973
316

68,254
12,756
9,685
15,998
9,619
14,030
6,166

58,767
9,113
10,542
14,871
8,203
11,740
4,297

969
343
22
65
162
248
129

9,487
3,643
-857
1,127
1,416
2,290
1,869

14.2
25.6
1.6
3.5
16.8
25.5
40.8

Figures do not necessarily add to totals because of rounding.


http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/
Source: U. S. Bureau
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

of the Census.

16.1

40.0
-8.1
7.6
17.3
19.5
43.5

Table 6. —

Population by color and urban-rural residence,
1900-1950

Nonwhite

White

Year
Total

Urban

Rural

Percent
urban

(I:n thousands)
1950 1/ ............

15,482

1940 ................
1930 ...............
1920 ................
1 9 1 0 ...............
1900 ..... ..........

13,454
12,488
10,890
10,240
9,185

V

9,389
6,451
5,395
3,685
2,791
2,079

Total

Urban

Rural

Percent
urban

(in thousands)
6,092
7,004
7,094
7,205
7,449
7,106

60.6
47.9
43.2
33.8
27.3
22.6

135,215
118,215
110,287
94,821
81,732
66,809

86,639
67,973
63,560
50,620
39,832
28,718

48,576
50,242
46,727
44,201
41,900
38,091

64.1
57.5
57.6
53.4
48.7
43.0

The urban and rural population data for 1950 are not comparable with earlier periods because of changes
in the urban definition. The total urban population in 1950 is about 8 million larger than it would
have been under the 194-0 definition.

Source:

U. S. Bureau of the Census




Table 7

Percent distribution by migration status of the population, by color, selected dates

March 194-9 to
March 1950

April 1948 to
April 1949

April 1940 to
April 1947

l/

April 1935 to
April 1940

Migration status

Total ................. .
Nonmigrants....
Migrants...............
Within a State.......
Between States.......
Abroad............. .

Nonwhite

White

Nonwhite

White

100.0
95.1
4.7
3.0
1.7
.2

100.0
93.9
5.7
3.0
2.8
.4-

100,0
95.1
4.7
2.8
1.9
.1

100.0
93.8
5.9
2.8
3.1
•4»

“

Nonwhite

100.0
77.4
21.8
7.7
14.1
.8

White

100.0
78.9
20.7
11.0
9.7
•4*

Nonwhite

100.0
90.4
9.5
5.6
3.9
.1

White

100.0
86.2
13.5
7.9
5.6
.3

Figures do not necessarily add to totals because of rounding,
1/

Data for 1950, 194-9, and 194-7 refer to the civilian population born on or before the beginning of the
migration period; data for 194-0 refer to the total population born on or before the beginning of the
migration period. Migrants are persons living in a different county at the end of the specified
period from the one in which they were living at the beginning of the period*

Source:

U. S, Bureau of the Census




Table 8,
Division
and
State

Population by color, for divisions and States, 1950 V and 1940
1950

Total

Per­
cent
Nonwhite non­
white

1940
Total

Continental U. S. •• 150,697,361
NewMaine
England
................. 9,314*453
913,774
NewHampshire
533,242
Vermont
377,747
Massachusetts
Rhode Island *••»« 4,690,5U
791,896
Connecticut
2,007,280
Middle Atlantic •••• 30,163,533
New York •••••«».• 14,830,192
New Jersey ....... 4,835,329
Pennsylvania »•••• 10,498,012
East
North Central . 30,399,368
Ohio...................
7,946,627
Indiana .......... 3,934,224
Illinois ......... 8,712,176
Michigan.......•••• 6,371,766
Wisconsin ........... 3,434,575
West North Central . 14,061,394
Minnesota ••••••.. 2,982,483
Iowa .«»»«««...... 2,621,073
Missouri •••••.••• 3,954,653
North Dakota ••••• 619,636
South Dakota ••••• 652,740
Nebraska...........
•••.••••• 1,325,510
Kansas
1,905,299
South
Atlantic
Delaware
............ 21,182,335
318,085
2,343,001
Maryland
••••»..••
Dist.
of
Columbia.
802,178
Virginia ......... 3,318,680
2,005,552
West
Virginia
••••
North
Carolina
...
4,061,929
South Carolina ... 2,117,027
Georgia ..........
.......... 3,444,578
Florida
2,771,305
East South Central « 11,477,181
2,944,806
Kentucky •••••••••
Tennessee
•••••••» 3,291,718
Alabama
..........
Mississippi
•••••• 3,061,743
2,178,914
West South Central • 14,537,572
Arkansas ••••••••• 1,909,511
Louisiana •••••••. 2,683,516
Oklahoma ......... 2,233,351
Texas ............ 7,711,194
Mountain ................ 5,074,998
Montana •••••••••. 591,024
Idaho •••••••••••» 588,637
Wyoming .••••••••« 290,529
Colorado .........
NewMexico ••••••• 1,325,089
681,187
Arizona •••«•••••• 749,587
Utah................... 688,862
Nevada ••••••••••• 160,083
Pacific ............ 14,486,527
Washington ....... 2,378,963
Oregon ••••••••••• 1,521,341
California ••••••• 10,586,223

Nonwhite

Per­
cent
non­
white
10.2
1.3.3
.1.1
1.4
1.6
2.0
4.7
4.4
5.5
4.8

Percent change
1940-50
Non­ White
Total white

15,756,963 10.5 131,669,275 13,454,405
H.5 17.1 H.l
1.6 8,437,290 108,144
153,356
10.0
10.4 a.8
2,927
847,226
.3
2,683
7.9
9.1
7.9
967 .2.1
80.7
535
8.5
491,524
8.4
5.2 31.5
559 1.7 4,316,721
359,231
425
5.1
79,069
59,125
8.7
33.7
8.3
14,881 1.9
11.0 28.9 10.7
713,346
11,5a
54,953 2.7 1,709,242
33,835
17.4 62.4 16.5
7.6
27,539,487 1,301,865
1,926,929
9.5 48.0
599,596
10.0
958,246 66.5.4 13,479,142
59.8
7.7
6.7 4,160,165 229,078
16.2 a . 7 H.7
324,513
644,170 6.1
9,900,180 473,191
6.0 36.1
4.5
H.2 69.1 11.8
1,856,235 6.1 26,626,342
3a,081 4.1
15.0 52.0 13.1
6,907,612 1,097,891
518,413 6.5 3,427,796
4.9
3.6 H.8 43.6 13.7
175,859 4.5
122,473
7.6 7,897,241 393,039 5.0 10.3 69.5
7.2
666,154 7.1
5,256,106 216,463 4.1 21.2 109.7 17.4
453,925
.8 9.5 68.6
9.0
1.2 3,137,587
41,88 4
24,835
3.0
485,306 3.5
13,516,990
4.0
3.5
2,792,300 405,471
23,318
.8 6.8 19.7
6.7
28,805 1.0.8 2,538,268
23.5
21,507
.7 3.3 22.4
17,577
3.1
299,066 7.6 3,784,664 245,477 6.5 4.5 21.8
3.3
11,188 1.8
10,471 1.6 -3.5 6.8
-3.6
641,935
24,236
642,961
23,886 3.7 1.5 1.5
1.5
18,210
24,166 3.7
.7
32.7
1.8
.3
1,315,834
1.4
66,532 3.7
76,338 4.0 1,801,028
5.8 H.7
5.4
26.5 18.8 8.7 18.8
5,HO,
264 24.3 17,823,151
22.5
44,207
35,977 16.6
266,505 4,727,924
13.9
13.5 19.4
22.9
16.6
28.6
302,763
28.2
28.7
388,OH
1,821,244
21.0 50.5
9.2
284,031 35.4
663,091 188,765
28.5 23.9
662,190
737,038
22.2
28.1
24.7
2,677,773
11.3
6.0
115,268 26.6
5.7 1,901,974 1,003,988
117,872 28.1
6.2 13.7
5.4 -2.2
16.2
1,078,819
7.5
3,571,623
1.0
823,624 38.9 1,899,804 815,496 42.9
19.3
11.4 -2.0
16.8
1,064,005
10.3
3,123,723 1,085,445
515,428 34.7
27.2 46.1
605,258 30.9
21.8 1,897,414
56.7
17.4
23.6 10,778,225 2,784,470 25.8 6.5 -2.8
9.7
2,707,072
202,876
2H,202
2,845,627
4.2
6.9
7.5
3.5
-5.3
531,468 16.1 2,915,841
H.7
508,935 17.5
2,832,961 983,864
8.1 4.4
34.7 12.9
-.2
982,243 32.1 2,183,796
12.5
990,485 45.5
1,077,469 49.3 -.2 -8.1
7.4
2,500,730 17.2 13,064,525 2,494,929 19.1 11.3 .2 13.9
24.8 -2.0
1.1
428,003
22.4 1,949,387
2,363,880 483,303
852,H1 36.0 13.5 -11.4
886,968 33.1
18.8
4.1
200,796 9.0 2,336,434 232,206 9.9 -4*4 -13.5
-3.4
22.6
984,963 12.8 6,414,824
927,279 H.5 20.2 6.2
171,090 4.1 22.3 34.1 21.8
229,365
18,986 4.5
18,988 3.4 5.6 (2/)
3.2 4,150,003
559,456
5.8
5,581 1.1 12.1 29.8 12.0
7,242 1.2
524,873
6,520 2.2
250,742
4,H5 1.7 18.0
15.9 57.3 15.2
17.2
28,436 2.1 1,123,296
16,794
531,818
39,506 1.5
28.1 69.3
29.0
28.0
50,976 7.5
7.4
50.1 31.2
95,076 12.7
499,261
H.5
72,469
53.4
550,310
7,390
25.2 61.7
24.7
11,953 1.7
5.6 45.2
10,176
63.7 44.1
110,247
6,217 1.3
6.4
109.0
757,706 5.2 9,733,262 362,621 3.7 48.8
2.2 37.0 64.2 46.5
62,468 2.6 1,736,191
38,044
39.6 73.5 36.4
39.2
13,953
1.3
24,213 1.6 1,089,684
50.3
671,025 6.3 6,907,387 310,624 4.5 53.3 116.0
1/ Nonwhite total for 1950 represents complete Census enumeration and differs from figures shown in other tables
which are based on sample data.
2/ Less than -.1 percent.
Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census



- 36 -

Table 9. —- Population by color, 1950 and 1940, far c itie s with 50,000 or more nonwhites in 1950
Nonwhite
City
New York, N. Y ....................... ..
Chicago, 111...............................
Philadelphia, Pa* « ..............
D etroit, Mich* ............
Washington, D. C. ..................
Baltimore, Md.......................
Los Angeles, C alif. . . . . . . . .
New Orleans, La. ••»••••«•••
St. Louis, Mo. ...................... ..
Cleveland, Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memphis, Tenn. ...............
Birmingham, Ala................
Houston, Tex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Atlanta, Ga. ...........................
Pittsburgh, Pa.
San Francisco, C alif. ...........
Cincinnati, Ohio
Newark, N* «X# *•«••<>••••••••
Richmond, Va. ........................ ..
Jacksonville, Fla. ................
Indianapolis, Ind....................
Norfolk, Va. .............................
L ouisville, Ky. ......................
Dallas, Tex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kansas City, Mo.
Oakland, C alif. ................ ..
Nashville, Tenn. • • .• » ....• •

1950
775,529
509,437
378,968
303,721
284,031
226,053
211,585
182,682
154,448
149,547
147,287
130,142
125,660
121,416
82,983
81,469
78,685
75,626
73,087
72,529
64,091
63,456
57,772
57,263
56,023
55,778
54,726

Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census



1940

Nonwhites as a
percent of total
population

White
Percent
change

1950

477,494 62.4 7,116,428
282,244 80.5 3,111,525
252,757 49.9 1,692,637
150,790 101.4 1,545,847
518,147
188,765 50.5
166,395 35.9
723,655
97,847 116.2 1,758,773
149,762 22.0
387,763
702,348
109,254 41.4
765,261
84,919 76.1
121,536 21.2
248,713
108,961 19.4
195,895
470,503
86,555 45.2
209,898
104,602 16.1
62,423 32.9
593,823
693,888
31,835 155.9
55,757 41.1
425,313
363,150
46,226 63.6
61,336 19.2
157,223
131,988
61,818 17.3
363,082
51,217 25.1
150,057
46,084 37.7
47,210 22.4
311,357
50,488 13.4
377,199
41,832 33.9
400,599
328,797
14,227 292.1
47,330 15.6
119,581

1940

Percent
change

1950

6,977,501
3,1.14,564
1,678,577
1,472,662
474,326
692,705
1,406,430
344,775
706,794
793,417
171,406
158,622
297,959
197,686
609,236
602,701
399,853
383,534
131,706
111,247
335,755
98,248
271,867
244,246
357,346
287,936
120,072

2.0
-.1
.8
5.0
9.2
4.5
25.1
12.5
-.6
-3.5
45.1
23.5
57.9
6.2
-2.5
15.1
6 .4
-5.3
19.4
18.6
8.1
52.7
14.5
54.4
12.1
14.2
“•4

9.8
14.1
18.3
16.4
35.4
23.8
10.7
32.0
18.0
16.3
37.2
39.9
21.1
36.6
12.3
10.5
15.6
17.2
31.7
35.5
15.0
29.7
15.7
13.2
12.3
14.5
31.4

1940
6 .4

8.3
13.1
9.3
28.5
19.4
6.5
30.3
13.4
9.7
41.5
40.7
22.5
34.6
9.3
5.0
12.2
10.8
31.8
35.7
13.2
31.9
14.8
17.1
10.5
4.7
28.3

Table 10. - Population by color, in 1950, for cities of 50,000 or more
with more than 100 percent increase in nonwhite population
between 194-0 and 1950

City
Alameda, C alif. . . . . . . .
Albuquerque, N.Mex. . . .
Baton Rouge, La...............
Bay City, Mich................
Berkeley, C alif. . . . . • •
Buffalo^ N# »•••••••
Denver, Colo.
Detroit, Mich. • » • • ...•
Erie, Pa.
F lin t, Mich.......................
Fort Wayne, Ind. . . . . . .
Grand Rapids, Mich, . . .
Holyoke, Mass.
Kalamazoo, Mich. ..• • • •
Lima, Ohio
Long Beach, C alif. ••••
Lorain, Ohio
Los Angeles, C alif. . . .
Lubbock, Tex. .................
Madison, Wis. . . . . . . . . .
Milwaukee, Wis. . . . . . . .
Hew Britain, Conn...........
Niagara F alls, N.Y. . . .
Oakland, C alif. •••••••
Ogden, Utah •••.•••••» •
Peoria, 111..............
Pontiac. Mich. •»•••««•
Portland, Oreg................
Racine, Wis. •« .•••••••
Richmond, Calif...............
Rochester, H. I . . . . . . .
Rockford, 111. ..• • • .• •
Saginaw, Mich* ..• • • • • •
Salt Lake City, Utah ..
San Bernardino, C alif..
San Diego, C alif. . . . . .
San Francisco, C alif. .
Santa Monica, C alif. . .
Schenectady, N.Y. •••••
South Bend, Ind. ••«•••
Spokane, Wash...............
Syracuse, N.Y. ..• • • • • •
Tacoma, Wash. •••••••••
Utica, N.Y. . . . . . . . . . . .
Woonsocket, R. I. . . . . .
Source:

1950 population
Total
Nonwhite
64,430
6,326
1,966
96,815
35,182
125,629
52,523
348
17,537
113,805
37,700
580,132
415,786
18,252
0,349,568
303,721
3,437
130,803
14,043
163,143
133,607
5,294
6,937
176,515
54,661
345
2,522
57,704
50, .246
3,282
250,767
6,587
51,202
2,533
0,970,358
211,585
6; 258
71,747
96,056
933
637,392
22,742
73,726
1,040
3,698
90,872
55,778
384,575
57,112
1,603
111,856
5,915
73,681
6,977
373,628
13,240
1,511
71,193
14,216
99,545
332,488
7,845
2,568
92,927
92,918
8,671
3,102
182,121
63,058
2,127
334,387
18,364
775,357
81,469
3,640
71,595
1,476
91,785
8,227
115,911
161,721
2,699
5,058
220,583
4,427
143,673
1,670
101,531
50,211
174

U. S. Bureau of the Census




- 3a

Percent change, 1940-50
Total
White
Nonwhite
77.7
459.3
65.4
173.1
12 3.9
174.4
261.8
202.6
291.7
9.2
9.5
102.3
33.0
232.1
19.9
10 6 .2
.7
-2.7
29.0
112.2
26.7
5.0
13.9
101.4
11.8
10.2
147.3
110.1
7.7
2.9
12.8
109.0
10.7
5.0
154.6
7.4
1.2
1.7
231.7
122.0
6.7
4.2
108.8
8.9
12.4
290.0
50.2
52.7
120.1
16.0
13.3
31.0
116.2
25.1
180.1
121.1
125.2
133.3
41.9
42.4
144.7
8.5
6.3
6.3
7.3
210.4
239.6
13.3
16.5
292.1
1 4 .2
27.3
153.6
30.7
28.9
105.0
3.7
6 .4
10.6
145.8
4.6
132.8
20.2
22.3
232.8
5.9
4*4
321.1
3,384.3
267.3
1.0
2.3
129.3
9.8
112.1
8.3
6.1
12.2
154.3
151.2
21.5
20.4
42.8
120.9
44.5
187.2
60.5
64.4
22.2
155.9
15.1
33.8
101.2
31.5
4.0
4.8
107.3
128.1
14.5
10.3
32.6
144.5
31.5
5.8
7.1
117.4
31.3
146.4
29.4
1.0
215.7
-.1
1.8
109.6
1.7

Table 11.—Median school years completed by persons 25 years old and over,
by color and sex, 1950 and 194-0
Color and sex
Nonwhite:
Both sexes .........
Male ......................
Female . . . . . . . . .
White:
Both sexes . . . . .
Male ......................
F em ale...........

1950

1940

Net
change

7.0
6.5
7.4

5.7
5.4
6.1

1.3
1.1
1.3

9.7
9.3
10.0

8.7
8.7
8.8

1.0
.6
1.2

Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census
Table 1 2 .—School enrollment of the population 5 to 24 years of age, by color,
1950 and 1940
Color and age

Nonwhite:
5 - 2 4 ...........
5 -1 3 ....
1 4 - 1 7 ___
18 - 24 . . . .
White:
5 - 2 4 ...........
5 -1 3 ....
1 4 -1 7 ....
1 8 -2 4 ....
Source:

Total

1950
Enrolled in school
Number
Percent

(In thousands)

(In thousands)

5,664
2,796
1,083
1,786

3,357
2,277
819
260

59.3
81.4
75.6
14.6

5,366
2,468
1,100
1,798

2,863
1,950
751
163

53.4
79.0
68.2
9.1

40,998
19,663
7,435
13,899

25,034
16,005
6,370
2,660

61.1
81.4
85.7
19.1

40,986
17,557
8,620
14,809

23,896
14,890
6,958
2,047

58.3
8 4 .8
80.7
13.8

U. S. Bureau of the Census




Total

1940
Enrolled in school
Number
Percent

39

Table 13• —

Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population,
by color and sex,
annual averages 1951, 194-9, and 194-7

(Percent distribution)
Employment status and sex
Both sexes:
Population, 14- years and o v e r .........
In labor force .............. ..
Not in labor force ...........................
In labor force .......................................
Employed...................... ........................
Unemployed .. .......... ............................
Male:
Population, 14- years and o v e r .........
In labor force . .................................
Not in labor force ................ ...
In labor force .....................................
Employed .........................................
Unemployed ..........................................
Female:
Population, 14 years and over ••.♦.
In labor force ...................................
Not in labor force ...........................
In labor force ...................... ...............
Employed ...............................................
Unemployed ...........................................
Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census




Nonwhite
1951

1949

White
1947

100.0 100.0 100.0
62.7 63.7 63.8
37.3 36.3 36.2
100.0 100.0 100.0
95.2 91.8 94.6
4.3 8.2 5.4

1951

1949

1947

100.0 100.0 100.0
57.2 56.8 56.0
42.8 43.2 44.0
100.0 100.0 100.0
97.2 94.8 96.7
2.8 5.2 3.3

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
33.6 84.5 85.8 84.0 84.0 83.8
16.4 15.5 .14.2 16.0 16.0 16.2
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
95.6 91.2 94.3 97.6 94.8 96.5
4.4 8.8 5.7 2.4 5.2 3.5
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
44.9 45.8 44.1 32.6 31.0 29.5
55.1 54.2 55.9 67.4 69.0 70.5
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
94.6 92.8 95.3 96.3 94.8 97.0
5.4 7.2 4.7 3.7 5.2 3.0

Table 14.— Percent distribution of married couples,
by labor force status of husband and wife, b y color,
1950 and 1940

1950

Labor force statu s of
husband and w ife

1940

Nonwhite

White

Nonwhite

White

100.0
91.5
33.6
58.0

100.0
91.7
20.8
70.8

8.5
3.1
5.4

8.3
1.4
6.9

100.0
92.8
22.6
70.2
7.2
1.7
5.5

100.0
91.7
10.1
81.5
8.3
.7
7.6

Married couples, husband
head of household...........
Husband in labor force.........
Wife in labor force. . . . . .
Wife not in labor fo rce..
Husband not in labor force.
Wife in labor fo rce...........
Wife not in labor fo rce..

Figures do not necessarily add to totals because of rounding.
Source:

D. S. Bureau of the Census

Table 15.—Percent of the c iv ilia n population in the labor force,
by color, age, and sex,
annual average 1951
Age
Total, 14 and over.............
1 4 - 1 7 .................................
18 - 1 9 . . . . ........................
2 0 - 2 4 ................................
25 - 34.................................
35 - 44.................................
45 - 54................................
55 - 64.................................
65 and over........................

Male

Female

Nonwhite

White

Nonwhite

White

83.7
44*8
80.8
88.7
95.7
96.4
95.1
8 4 .6
49.5

.O
39.2
74.2
88.4
97.0
97.6
96.0
87.4
44.5

44.9
23.7
40.6
45.4
51.1
55.8
55.5
39.8
14.0

32.6
21.6
54.1
46.7
33.6
38.0
38.0
26.8
8.5

84

Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census



-

41

-

Table 16. -- Percent distribution of employed me n and women,
by major industry group and color,
April 1950 and March 194-0 l/

Nonwhite
Sex and major industry group
Total employed men .............
Agriculture ..........................
Mining
Construction • • • • • • ...........................
Manufacturing .................................... ..
Transportation, communication,
and other public u t ilit ie s ...»
Wholesale and r e ta il trade • • • • .•
Service industries . . • • • • • ..............
A ll other industries ....................
Industry not reported . . . . . . . . . . .
Total employed women......... ........< >
Agriculture .........................................
Mining ........................................... •••••
Construction .........................................
Manufacturing ............... .......................
Transportation, communication,
and other public u t ilit ie s ••••
Wholesale and r e ta il trade •••••o
Service industries
A ll other industries • • • • • » ..• • • •
Industry not reported

White

April
1950

March
1940

April
1950

March
1940

100.0
25.2
1.1
8.0
22.3
3.5
14-.0
15.1
4.6
1.3
100.0
10.7
(2/)
.3
9.6
1.3
10.3
64.8
1.8
1.1

100.0
41.7
1.7
4.7
15.4
6.5
10.4
15.9
2.2
1.5
100.0
16.1
(2 /)
.1
3.5
.2
4 .2
74.3
.6
.9

100.0
15.3
2.5
8.4

100.0
21.5
2.8
6.1
25.4
8.3
16.9
13.9
3.8
1.3
100.0
2.4
.1
.3
23.7
3.5
20.5
43.3
3.2
2.3

2 6 .6

8.8
17.5
14.7
5.0
1.2
100.0
3.1
.2
.7
24.6
4.9
23.9
35.9
4.2
2.5

l / These are decennial census data and d iffer from the estim ates based on
current population surveys (MRLF) shown in table 17*
2 / Less than .1 percent.
Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census




- 42 -

Table 17. —

Percent distribution of employed nonwhite men and women,
b y major industry group,
April of selected years, 194-0-52

Sex and major industry group

1952

1950

1948

1944

1940 1 /

Total employed men ..................
100.0 100.0
Agriculture 7 j ................................ ..
24.6
19.2
Nonagriculture ..................................... 80.8
75.4
Mining ............... ...........................
2.7
2.4
Construction .....................................
8.8
7.3
Manufacturing .......................... ..
21.5
26.4
Durable ........................................... 17.413.6
Nondurable .................................. ..
9.1
7.9
Transportation, communication,
and public u t ilit ie s . . . . . . . .
7.5 »
7.3
Trade, finance ................................ 16.2
17.3
Domestic and personal se r v ic e..
7.2
7.7
Professional services .................. 4-. 4
4 .4
Government .....................................
5.0
4.9
2.7
Other l j .............................................
2.5
100.0
100.0
Total employed women ............. ..
Agriculture 2 / .....................................
6.2
8.7
Nonagriculture ..................................... 93.8
91.3
Mining .................................................. (20
(2/0
C onstruction..................................... (20
.1
7.0
Manufacturing ....................
7.9
1.6
2.7
Durable ...........................................
Nondurable .....................................
6.3
4.3
Transportation, communication,
.6
.8
aid public u t ilit ie s . . . . . . . .
Trade, finance ................................. 12.9
11.4
57.6
Domestic and personal se r v ic e.. 55.2
10.1
Professional services ................. 13.8
Government .........................................
3.5
2.5
1.0
Other i j ........................ .............. ..
.7

100.0
22.4
77.6
6.1
6.7
24.0
16.3
7.7
9.6
13.6
7.6
4.2
4 .2
2.6

100.0
31.3
68.7
4.1
3.7
23.6
(2/)
(2/)
10.0
12.3
6.0
3.2
3.9
1.9

100.0
43.3
56.7
1.8
4.8
16.1

100.0

8.7
91.3

100.0

.1
.2

(2/)

8.9
2.5

6.4
.5

14.1
55.7
9.4

1.8
.8

10.9
89.1

$20

1 3 .0
Q/)

(2/)

1 .1
1 1 .4
5 2 .7
7 .3
3 .1
.5

(20
( 2/ )

6 .7
1 1 .7
8 .3
2 .9
1 .7
2 .7
10 0 .0
2 1 .0
79 .0

(20
(20
(. / )
.1
3 .0
3

.2

4.5
64.6
5.7
.6
.4

Figures do not necessarily add to totals because of rounding. The estimates for
1944-52 are subject to sampling variation which may be large in cases where the
percentages are based on quantities which are small.
l/
2/
2/

ij

/

The 194-0 data are for Negroes only but are not significantly different from
distribution for all nonwhites.
Includes forestry and fishery.
Not available.
Includes business repair services, amusement, and recreation.
Less than .05 percent.

Source:

U. S. Bureau of the Census




- 43 -

Table 18. — Percent distribution of employed m e n and women,
by major occupational group and color,
April 1950 and March 1940 1/

Nonwhite

White

Sex and major occupational group
1950

1940

1950

1940

Total employed men •••••••.•••••••••••
Professional, technical, and
kindred workers ................ .
Farmers and farm managers
Managers, officials, and proprietors,
except farm
Clerical and kindred workers
Sales workers
Craftsmen, foremen, and
kindred workers ............... .
Operatives and kindred workers ••••«
Private household workers
Service workers, except private
household ••....... .
Farm laborers and foremen ..........
Laborers, except farm and mine •••••
Occupation not reported •••..•••••••

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

2.2
13.5

1.9
2 1.1

7.9
10.5

6.6
14 .2

2.0
3.4
1.5

1 .6
1 .2
1.0

1 1 .6
6.8
6.6

10.6
6.5
6.8

7.6
20.8
.8

4*4
12.4
2.3

19.3
20.0
.1

15.9
18.7
.1

12.5
11.3
23.1
1.3

12.3
20.0
21.3
•6

4.9
4.4
6.6
1 .2

5.2
7.0
7.6
.7

Total employed women .••••••••••••••••
Professional, technical, and
kindred workers
Farmers and farm managers ..........
Managers, officials, and proprietors,
except farm
Clerical and kindred workers ..•••••
Sales workers
Craftsmen, foremen, and
kindred w o r k e r s .... .
Operatives and kindred workers .....
Private household workers
Service workers, except private
household
Farm laborers and foremen •••«••«..»
Laborers, except farm and mine ....•
Occupation not reported ••••.•••••••

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

6.2
2.0

4.3
3.0

13.4
.7

14.8
1 .1

.5
4.0
1.3

.8
1.0
.6

4.8
29.8
8.9

4.3
24.5
8 .1

1.0
14.6
42.0

.2
6.6
58.6

1.7
19.8
4*4

1 .1
20.3
10.9

17.8
8.8
1 .1
.7

10.4
12.9
.8
.7

11.4
2.3
.7
2.2

11.5
1 .2
.9
1.3

y

These are decennial census data and differ from the estimates based on
current population surveys (l-IRLF) shown in table 19*

Source:

U. S. Bureau of the Census




-

4 4

-

Table 19* ** Proportion of nonwhite to total employment in each major occupational group, by sex,
April of selected years, 194-0-52 1 /
Major occupational group
Employed nonwhites • •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •..••
Professional, technical, and
kindred workers ........................................
Managers, o ffic ia ls, and proprietors,
excluding farm .........................................
C lerical, sales, and kindred workers ..
Craftsmen, foremen, and
kindred workers ................ ........... ..
Operatives and kindred workers . . . . . . . .
Private household workers .............. ...
Service workers, except
private household
Farmers and farm managers
Farm laborers and foremen
Laborers, except farm and mine ..............

Male
1952 1950 1948
8.9 8.3 8.4
2.5 2.6 2.6

1944 1940 1952
9.8 8.6 11.4
3.3 2.8 7.0

Female
1950 1948 1944 1940
12.0 11.8 12.9 13.8
5.2 5.4 5.7 4.5

1.6
3.4-

1.9
2.8

1.8
2.3

2.1
2.8

1.1
1.3

3.1
2.2

2.7
1.9

2.4
2.3

4.8
1.4

2.6
.7

4-.0
10.4
31.6

3.9
8.5
51.3

3.7
10.1
53.7

3.6
10.1
75.2

2.6
5.9
60.2

4.9
6.8
53.9

2.2
7.8
53.9

5.4
8.2
52.4

5.2
8.3
60.9

2.2
4.7
46.6

21.7
10.7
16.2
26.9

21.4
10.5
19.8
21.4

20.7
9.8
15.8
23.6

21.9
11.0
21.1
27.6

16.5
12.4
21.0
21.0

20.0
24.1
14.3
7.8

19.1
20.2
19.2
42.6

20.0
21.9
15.9
24.4

23.9 12.7
23.8 30.4
21.4 62.0
35.6 13.2

The estimates for 1944-52 are subject to sampling variation which may be large in cases where the percentages are
based on quantities which are small.
1 / The 194-0 data are for Negroes only but are not significantly different from distribution far a ll nonwhites.
Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census



Table 20. - Nonagricultural placements, total and nonwhite, by major industry division,
April of 1951, 1944, and 194-0

Major industry
division

April 1940
April 1944
April 1951 3 /
Nonwhite
Nonwhite
Nonwhite
Percent Percent
Percent Percent
Percent Percent
of d istri­
of d istri­ Total Number of d istr i­ Total Number
Total Number
total bution
total bution
total bution

T o ta l....................... . 488,855 145,492 29.8
Forestry and
98 17.0
fishing .................
575
Mining •••••••» ••••
163 5.5
2,984
Construction •••••• 60,195 18,295 30.4
Manufacturing ••.•• 137,841 21,691 15.7
Transportation . . . . 26,073 5,193 19.9
Wholesale and
reta il trade . . . . 95,107 22,736 23.9
Finance, insurance,
and real e sta te .. 6,884 1,028 14.9
Service, total •••• 140,302 73,769 52.6
Domestic .............. 92,869 59,963 64.6
Government •••» •••• 18,296 2,390 13.1
Establishments (not
elsewhere c la ssi­
598
fied) ••••••••••*
129 21.6
1/

7j

100.0

760,671 141,597 18.6

818
10,243
50,845
442,712
57,194
1 5 .6
60,559
4,532
.7
50.7 85,018
41.2 41,462
1.6 48,195
.1
.1
12 .6
14 .9
3 .6

.1

555

3.2
5.2
22.8
13.2
15.9
20.7
684 15.1
41,652 49.0
30,442 73.4
6,709 13.9
26

530
11,589
58,605
9,105
12,508

189 34.1

271,266

56,442

8.8
.5
29.5
21.5
4.7

634
1,999
40,823
43,529
6,963
48,447
3,133
116,311
84,605
8,883

47
7.4
187 9.4
8,532 20.9
3,934 9.0
1,380 19.8
4,517 9.3
469 15.0
36,614 31.5
28,376 33.5
736 8.3

.8
65.0
50.3
1.3

.1

544

U* 3

(2/)

100.0

( 2/)

.4
8 .2
4 1 .4
6 .4

Excludes Connecticut, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
Less than 0.05 percent.

Source:

Bureau of Emnloyment Security




26

20.8

100.0
.1
.3
1 5 .1
7.0
2 .4
8.0

Table 21.—Duration of current jobs of employed workers,
and farm-nonfarm residence
January 1951
(Percent distribution)
Farm
United States
Date current job started
White
Nonvhite
Nonwhite
100.0
100.0
Both s e x e s .............................
100.0
January 1950 - January 1951 .. 35.8
28.3
40.4
35.2
September 1945 - December 1949 33.6
24.5
16.0
20.1
January 1940 - August 1945 ••• 15.6
Before 1940
10.7
18.3
12.3
Date not rep orted ................... .
2.8
2.1
4.3
Median years on current job ••
3.5
2.4
1.9
100.0
100.0
M ale..................................................... 100,0
January 1950 - January 1951 •• 32.9
37.5
25.4
22.8
September 1945 - December 1949 32.1
34.9
January 1940 - August 1945
17.7
16.3
22.4
Before 1940 .......................
13.2
14.7
21.4
2.0
2.6
Date not reported .................. ...
4.2
Median years on current job ••
2.8
4.0
3.1
100.0
100.0
Female ................................................. 100.0
35.6
52.1
January 1950 - January 1951 • • 40.7
35.8
30.7
September 1945 - December 1949 36.2
15.8
10.6
12.0
January 1940 - August 1945 . . .
Before 1940
10.7
2.5
6.5
3.8
Date not reported
2.3
4.4
1.0
Median years on current job ••
1.7
2.3
Figures do not necessarily add to totals because of rounding.
Sources U. S. Bureau of the Census




by color, sex,

Nonfarm
White
100.0
24.6
29.4
18.5
26.1
1.5
4.7
100.0
22.4
29.1
18.9
28.2
1.4
5.1
100.0
34.7
31.0
16.6
16.3
1.5
2.8

Nonwhite
100.0
35.0
3 5 .1
14 .9
10 .5
4 .5
2 .5
100.0
3 1.8
34.2

16.6
12.8
4.6
3.1
100.0
39.9
36.7
12.2
6.9
4.4
1.7

White
100.0
29.0
36.1
15.6
17.1
2.2
3.3
100.0
26.0

36.0
15.7
20.2
2.1
3.8
100.0
35.6
36.2
15.6
10.2
2.3
2.3

Table 22 . —

Average number of remaining years of life, in labor force and in retirement,
males, by color and by urban-rural residence,
1940

Age 20

Age 60

Age 40

Color
Total

In labor
force

In retire­
ment

Total

In labor
force

In retire­
ment

Total

In labor
force

In retire­
ment

Total .............
Nonwhite ...... ..
White ...........

46.8
39.8
47.7

41.1
36.2
41.8

5.7
3.6
5.9

29.5
25.4
30.1

23.7
21.3
24.0

5.8
4.1
6 .1

15.1
14.6
15.1

9.1
9.5
9.1

6.0
5.1
6.0

Total urban
Nonwhite •••••••••
White ...........

45.6
37.0
46.4

40.0
33.4
40.7

5.6
3.6
5.7

28.3
23.0
28.7

22.5
18.8
22.8

5.8
4.2
5.9

14.1
12.9
14.1

8.2
7.3
8.2

5.9
5.6
5.9

Total rural .......
Nonwhite .........
W h i t e ..... .

48.6
43.1
49.6

42.8
39.3
43.4

5.8
3.8
6.2

31.4
28.1
31.9

25.4
23.9
25.6

6.0
4.2
6.3

16.2
15.9
16.2

10 .1
10.8
10 .1

6 .1
5.1
6 .1

Source:

National Office of Vital Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics




Table 23.—

Median money income of families, by color and residence,
1945-50

Year and residence

Total

Nonwhite

White

Nonwhite
as a percent
of white

1950:

Total i / .........

$3,319

$1,869

$3,445

54.3

1949:

Total ............
Urban ........ ..
Rural nonfarm ...
Rural farm •••.••

3,107
3,486
2,763
1,587

1,650
2,084
691

3,232
3,619
2,851
1,757

51.1
57.6
43.5
39.3

1948:

T o t a l .... ........
Urban ......... .
Rural nonfarm ...
Rural farm ......

3,187
3,551
2,954
2,036

1,768
2,172
1,592
942

3,310
3,694
3,033
2,235

53.4
58.8
52.5
42.1

1947:

Total .............
Urban
Rural nonfarm ...
Rural farm ..••••

3,031
3,349
2,826
1,963

1,614
1,963
1,446
1,026

3,157
3,465
2,922
2,156

51.1
56.7
49.5
47.6

1946:

Total
..........
Urban
Rural nonfarm ...
Rural farm ••....

(2/)
3,123
2,547
(2/)

1,929
1,506
(2/)

(2/)
3,246
2,642

(2/)
59.4
57.0

Total ..........
Urban
Rural nonfarm ...
Rural farm ......

2,621
2,995
2,445
1,410

1,538
2,052
(£/)
559

1945:

1/

2J
2/
u

&

1,240

ill)

(2/)

2,718
3,085
2,498
1,602

(2/)
56.6
66.5
34.9

Urban-rural data not available for 1950.
Data for total and rural farm not available for 194.6.
Information not available.
Median not shown where there are fewer than 100 cases in the sample
reporting on income.

Source:

U. S. Bureau of the Census




-

4 9

-

Table 24. — Median wage and salary income of persons
with wage and salary income, by color,
1939 and 1947-50

Tear

1950
1949
1948
1947
1939

........ .
.........
.........
.........
.........

Source:

Total

Nonwhite

White

Nonwhite
as a percent
of white

$2,133
2,016
2,017
1,865
877

$1,295
1,064
1,210
863
364

$2,481
2,350
2,323
1,980
956

52.2
45.3
52.1
43.6
38.1

U. S. Bureau of the Census

Table 25.— Percent distribution of Negro and white workers,
with four quarters of employment in 1949, by amount of
annual wage credits, by sex

Sex and amount
of wage credits
Total male ............... .
$1 - $599 .......................
$600 - $1,199 ...................
$1,200 - $1,799 .................
$1,800 - $2,399 .................
$ 2,400 - $2,999 .................
$3,000 ..........................
Total f e m a l e ........ .............
$1 - $599 ...... ................
$600 - $1,199 ...................
$1,200 - $1,799 .................
'>1,800 - $2,399 .................
$2,400 - $2,999 .................
$3,000 ..........................

Negro

White 1/

100.0

100.0

5.6
15.0
23.1
24.1
18.5
13.7

1.8
4.2
8.1
14.1
19.3
52.5

100.0

100.0

10.7
35.8
32.7
15.1
4*4
_2/l.3

5.5
16.2
27.8
28.3
14.6
7.6

Based on 1-percent sample of account numbers issued under the
old-age and survivors insurance program.
l/
2/

Includes all persons of races other than Negro.
Less than 100 persons in sample cell.

Source:

Federal Security Agency, Social Security Administration,
Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance




- 50 -

Table 26.— Proportion of workers permanently insured and wage credits, 1937-49,
for workers with wage credits under OASI in 1949,
by sex and race

Item

Male

All
workers
Negro

Female
White 1/

Negro

White 1/

Percent permanently insured....

29.1

21.9

36.7

5.9

17.0

Mean wage credits, 1937-49.....
Mean wage credits per quarter
employed, 1937-49............

$12,265

$8,931

$15,346

$3,930

$7,354

$437

$330

$495

$226

$316

28.1

27.1

31.0

17.4

23.2

26.3

24.3

29.4

15.0

21.3

93.6

89.7

94.8

86.2

91.8

34.9

35.0

36.4

31.7

31.8

Mean quarters of employment,
1937-49......................
Mean quarters of coverage,
1937-49......................
Percentage of quarters of
employment that were quarters
of coverage.... .............
Median age..................

Based on 1-percent sample of account numbers issued tinder the old-age and survivors insurance program,
l/

Includes all persons of races other than Negro.

Source:

Federal Security Agency, Social Security Administration, Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance







NEGROES IN THE UNITED STATFS —

THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC STATUS

An Annotated Bibliography

This bibliography lists selected references which include
material on the economic and employment status of the Negro during
recent years. A few books presenting general background information
have been included. References to earlier publications may be found
in many of the books included in the list below.
Listings of nongovernmental publications in this bibliography
are for record and reference only and do not constitute an endorsement
of point of view or advocacy of use.
Brazeal, B. R. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
Harper and Brothers, 1946. 258 pp. $3.

New York,

An account of the origin and development of the union
and its struggle for better wages and working conditions.
Cox, Oliver Cromwell. Caste. Class, and Race: A Study in Social
Dynamics. New York, Doubleday and Co., Lie., 1948. 624 PP* $7.50.
A study of social, class, and racial friction in the present
day. Section 5, "Occupation and Caste," attempts to answer two
questions: (l) Is it necessary that each caste have cm occupation?
(2) Must every occupation have a caste?
Embree, Edwin R. Brown Americans: The Story of a Tenth of the
Nation. New York, Viking Press, Lie., 1943. 248 pp. |3.
A presentation of the origin, development, achievements,
and problems of the Negro in America. Pages 109 to 140, "Making
a Living," cover various phases of the economic life of the
Negro in farming, trades, war industries, labor unions, business,
and the professions.
Frazier, E. Franklin. The Negro in the United States.
The Macmillan Co., 1949. 767 pp. #8.

New York,

A text on the American Negro from slavery to the post-World
War II period. Chapter XXIII gives a historical account of the
employment and economic status of the Negro.
Gardner, Burleigh B.; and Moore, David G. Human Relations in Industry.
Chicago, Richard D. Irwin, Lie., 1950. 431 pp. Rev. ed. 16.65.
Chapter 17 concerns minority groups in industry with special
emphasis on the Negro as a new industrial immigrant.




-

5 3 -

Johnson, Charles S. and Associates* Into the Main Stream* Chapel Hill,
University of North Carolina Press, 194-6. 355 pp. $3*50.
An outline of the social and economic progress of Negroes
during the last quarter-century, with a survey of best practices
in race relations in the South.
Jones, Arthur J. Principles of Guidance and Pupil Personnel Work.
McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., 1951. 630 pp. 4th. ed. $4-.75.

New York,

Chapter XXIII explains the sources of attitudes toward racial
differences as they affect guidance and personnel work of the
Negro youth, and refers to changing economic and employment con­
ditions which accentuate problems.
Miller, Glenn Wasson.
1951. 560 pp. $5.

Problems of Labor.

New York, The Macmillan Co.,

Chapter 20 discusses problems arising from low wage groups
in our economy, especially Negroes. This chapter presents the
problems involved and the attempted solutions to the problems.
Myrdal, Gunnar and Others. An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and
Modern Democracy. New York, Harper and Brothers, 1944-. 2 vols. 1,483
pp. $6.
A comprehensive study of the Negro in American society and
an analysis of the problem of racial discrimination. Part IV,
vol. 1, on nEconomicstt discusses various aspects of the economic
life and development of the Negro from slavery.
Northrup, Herbert R. Organized Labor and the Negro.
Harper and Brothers, 1944. 312 pp. #3.50.

New York,

An analysis of the influence of unions upon economic oppor­
tunities for Negroes.
Reid, Ira DeA. and Raper, Arthur. Sharecroppers All. Chapel Hill,
University of North Carolina Press, 1941. 281 pp. #3.
A description of current conditions among Southern workers—
Negro and white— with special emphasis on trends.
Ross, Malcolm H. All Manner of Men.
1948. 314 PP. #3.50.

New York, Reynal and Hitchcock,

Surveys racial problems in American life, with a major portion
of the book devoted to the Government’s wartime experiment with
Pair Employment Practice Committee.




Seidenberg, Jacob. Negroes la the Work Group. Ithaca, Cornell
University, New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations,
February 1950.
pp„ Research Bulletin No. 6. 15 cents.

AS

A study of selected employment practices in New York State.
Covers techniques and methods used by certain businesses and
industries to integrate the Negro in the work force of 33 firms
located in Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, and New York City.
Southall, Sara E. Industry^ Unfinished Business.
Harper and Brothers, 1950. 173 pp. $2.50.

New York,

Discusses the role of industrial relations in the employment
of minority groups from the standpoint of managementj describes
step-by-step methods which have been successfully employed in
numerous companies to make possible the inclusion of Negro employees
on industrial staffs.
Sterner, Richard and Others.
Harper and Brothers, 1943.

The Negro’s Share.
433 pp. $4.50.

New York,

What the Negro gets from his work and his economic environ­
ment as seen in his housing, standard of living, and extent to
which he benefits from public programs of social welfare.
Weaver, Robert C. Negro Labor: A National Problem.
Harcourt, Brace and Co., Inc., 1946* 329 pp. $3.

New York,

Describes the problems faced by labor, management, and govern­
ment resulting from the entrance of the Negro into new spheres of
employment and discusses the future of the Negro in our economy.
Includes material on labor unions and the influence of the unions
upon employment opportunities of the Negro.




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PUBLICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The following recent publications of Bureaus in the United
States Department of Labor include material relating to the employment
and economic status of the Negros

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Articles in the "Monthly Labor Review”
The following issues, no longer obtainable on
purchase from the Government Printing Office, are
available in government depository and other libraries,
including those of colleges and universities*
Negro Workers.

(Vol. 52, No. 2, February 1941 > pp* 350-55*)

A special section presents brief digests of (l) the
decision of the U. S. Supreme Court on October 28, 194-0,
sustaining the decision of the Circuit Court of Appeals
on equal pay for Negro and white school teachers in Norfolk,
Va., and (2) a summary report of a conference in Michigan,
one of a series in 20 States sponsored by the United States
Employment Service, on "Employment Problems of Negroes in
Michigan."
Defense Activities and Conditions*
pp. 1388-91.)

(Vol* 52, No. 6, June

1941,

A section on "Negro Participation in Defense Work,"
discusses the employment policies on hiring of Negroes in
the construction and aviation industries*
Occupational Status of Negro Railroad Employees.
March 1943> PP* 484*^.)

(Vol. 56, No. 3,

A report on occupations of Negroes employed by the
Pennsylvania Railroad as of September 28, 1942*
War and Postwar Trends in Employment of Negroes.
January 194-5, pp. 1-6.)

(Vol. 60, No. 1,

An analysis of data on the occupational and industrial
distribution of employed Negro men and women for April 1940
compared with April 1944.




- 56 -

Postwar Trends in Negro Employment.
pp. 663-6667)

(Vol. 65, No. 6, December 1947,

An analysis of the occupational and industrial changes of the
Negro worker during World War II and the position of the Negro
worker in the postwar period.
Postwar Status of Negro Workers in San Francisco Area.
No. 6, June 1950, pp. 612-18.)

(Vol. 70,

A summary of the findings of a field survey made in the spring
and early summer of 1948, under auspices of the University of California.
Occupational Outlook Series
The following bulletins in this series, prepared prima­
rily for use in vocational counseling, include material on
the employment and opportunities of Negroes, in particular fields
of work, as of the date of publication. With the exception of
those out of print, the bulletins may be obtained from the
Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office,
Washington 25, D. C,, at the price indicated*
Employment Outlook in the Building Trades.
Out of print; available in libraries.

June 1949.

Employment Outlook in Foundry Occupations.
Out of print; available in libraries.

May 1946.

(Bull. 967.)

(Bull. 880.)

Employment Outlook in the Plastic Products Industry. April 1948.
(Bull. 929•) 20 cents.
Employment Outlook in Railroad Occupations.
(Bull. 961.) 30 cents.

.Tune 19/.9.

Employment Outlook for Elementary and Secondary School Teachers.
July 1949. (Bull. 972.) 40 cents.
Effect of Defense Program on Employment Situation in Elementary and
Secondary School Teaching^ August 1951. (Supp., Bull. 972.) 15 cents.
Social Workers in 1950. A Report on the Study of Salaries and Working
Conditions in Social Work. New York, American Association of Social
Workers, Inc., One Park Avenue, New York 16, N. Y 0 78 pp. $1.
A report, prepared by the Bureau of labor Statistics, on a
survey of 51,000 social workers conducted jointly with interested
professional organizations, which includes data on number, age,
education, and salaries of Negroes in the profession.




- 57 -

BUREAU OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY
Copies of the following may be obtained free upon request.
Employers:

There is More Manpower.

June 1951.

A brochure, directed to employers, to promote employment
practices based solely on qualifications of workers. It includes
statements from leading employers who advocate nondiscriminatory
personnel policies without regard to race, creed, color, religion,
national origin, age, sex, or physical handicap.
Status and Characteristics of Nonwhites in the Labor Force.
An annual mimeographed report issued in 1950, 1951, and 1952
on employment status and trends of nonwhite workers in the labor
force, based on census data and the Bureau*s labor market information.
Articles in the Employment Security Review.”
Employment Program for Minority Groups.
November 1950, pp. 7-10.)

(Vol. 17, No. 11,

A description of the practical program of the Louisiana
State Employment Service to increase job opportunities for
minority group job seekers.
Expanded Utilization of Minority Group Workers.
April 1951, pp. 34-36.)

(Vol. 18, No. 4,

A progress report of the minority groups program of the
Ohio State Employment Service.

WOMEN’S BUREAU
Negro Women War Workers.

1945.

(Bull. 205.) 23 pp.

Available in libraries.

Descriptive material and statistics present, for the period
194-0-44, the contributions made by Negro women in war work.
Opportunities for Negro Women in the Medical and Other Health Services.
8 pp. mimeo. Free upon request.
Summary information based on a series of 12 bulletins
published in 1945 and 1946 by the Women’s Bureau on ”The
Outlook for Women in Occupations in the Medical and Other
Health Services.”
Opportunities for Negro Women in Science.

3 pp. mimeo.

Free upon request*

A digest of information included in the Bureau’s reports on
”The Outlook for Women in Science,” published in 1943 and 1949.



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☆

U.

S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : O — 1953