Citation

Browne I. Soc. Forces 2000; 78(3): 907-929.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Social Forces Journal, Publisher University of North Carolina Press)

DOI

10.2307/3005935

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Among young household heads, black women are employed at lower rates than white women, following a pattern found among young men. The current article investigates whether theories of industrial restructuring account for the lower employment rates among young black women heading households. In particular, I investigate whether processes involving deindustrialization, spatial mismatch, and skills mismatch lead to different employment outcomes for white and black women. I find that young female household heads who reside in the central city experience a drop in employment with increases in the suburbanization of low-skill jobs. In addition, young black women are losing employment from the relative expansion of retail trade industries, while young white women are not.