World War II and Black Economic Progress

During the 1940s, a substantial share of southern Black men moved from low-skilled to much better paying semiskilled jobs. Using newly digitized military data, I show that counties with higher World War II casualty rates among semiskilled White soldiers saw an increase in the share of semiskilled Black workers. These deaths opened new employment opportunities for Black southerners and, together with learning effects by employers, can explain 35% of the occupational upgrading at mid-century. I provide evidence that the casualty-induced labor shortages reduced racial barriers to entry, leading to a positive selection of Black workers into semiskilled employment.

Automated summary

During World War II, the casualties among semiskilled White soldiers led to increased opportunities for Southern Black men to enter semiskilled jobs, explaining a significant portion of the occupational upgrading at that time.