1980, 32 percent more blacks worked in the craft trades-carpentry, plumbing, printing-while 15 percent fewer worked as laborers. The black-white income ratio in blue-collar fields was 81 percent in 1980, compared to 78 percent in 1973. Meanwhile, the number of black household workers dropped 42 percent, and black farm employment fell by 32 percent.
The earnings of black and white women were more nearly equal than those of black and white men. The earnings ratio of black to white women was 92.2...