African-American Women in the Economic Marketplace

Abstract

Over a decade ago, the economic status of African-American women in America was explored (Aldridge, 1975). Today, a continuing issue facing the nation is the economic opportunities of women and minorities. While there is no denying that some progress has been made, the plight of African-American women remains a very real concern. Much of the data presented in this work was taken from massive data categorized as nonwhite. However, since African-Americans constitute between 92.5% and 95.0% of the nonwhites in the United States, it is reasonably safe to assume that data pertaining to nonwhites overwhelmingly obtains for AfricanAmericans. Note, however, that West Indians, Chinese, and Japanese are included in much of the nonwhite data, and they are more likely to be in the higher educational and occupational levels (Epstein, 1973; Moynihan, 1971). Thus gains made by AfricanAmerican women may not be as great as they appear. Census data continues to reveal that African-American women hold the least enviable position on the economic ladder, and industry still lags in the absorption of these women in the professional, technical, and managerial levels of employment. This reality has been contradicted with demands by African-American women in recent years relative to their status in America with many demonstrating profound dissatisfaction with the nature of their relationships to the American economy. This article attempts to examine the economic status of AfricanAmerican women in America. It examines their occupational status,