"This book explains persistent racial disparities in the United States. It begins with an examination of the economics of racial identity, mechanisms of stratification, and regimes of structural racism. Thereafter, it examines racial trends in income, wealth, employment, and criminal legal outcomes and African American diversity"--

Patrick L. Mason is Professor of Economics and Economist at the Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts ¿ Amherst. His research interests include racial inequality, educational achievement, income distribution, unemployment, social identity, family well-being and structure, racial profiling, and computerization, innovation, and employment.

Part I. Foundations: 1. Introduction; 2. Racial identity as an economic norm; 3. Mechanisms of stratification: insecurities and inequities of capitalist competition; 4. Regimes of racial stratification: 1865 ¿ present; Part II. African American Educational Progress and Transformations in Family Structure, 1965 ¿ present: 5. African American educational progress: 1965 ¿ present; 6. Transformations in family structure; Part III. African American Income and Wealth, 1965 ¿ present: 7. Family income growth and inequality: 1965 ¿ present; 8. Family wealth inequality: pensions, homeownership, and property income; 9. Individual wage and employment disparity; 10. African American cultural diversity: social identity, ethnicity, and nativity; Part IV. Structural Racism, 1965 ¿ present: 11. Structural racism and persistent wage disparity; 12. The Criminal legal system and hate crimes; Part V. Restatement and Discussion: 13. Restatement and discussion; References; Index.