persistent disparity: Race and Economic Inequality in the United States since 1945

Persistent Disparity provides a comprehensive examination of the magnitude and scope of racial economic disparity in the United States. The authors directly assess the extent of black economic progress in the U.S. since World War II and address the controversy of whether the racial income gap is closing or widening as America approaches the 21st century. Darity and Myers also carefully consider the competing theories that purport to explain the on-going black-white differences, ranging from cultural-genetic hypotheses to those that emphasize discrimination and exploitation. They explicitly make the connection between what the theory of racial inequality espouses and corresponding policy recommendations for remedying such disparity such as affirmative action and reparations. The authors challenge the cultural-genetic explanation and advance a new theoretical explanation that incorporates a more expansive characterization of the nature and role of discrimination. They also conclude that conventional anti-discrimination efforts are unlikely to be sufficient to close the gap.

This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in US social and economic history, political economy, African-American studies, and public policy.