Abstract
This study examines the determinants of wage differences between African Americans and Puerto Ricans in New York City. The empirical analysis, conducted on census data for 1960, 1970, and 1980, highlights two important patterns. Changes in returns to human capital have been more important for Puerto Ricans than for African Americans; and changes in group segmentation structure have had a positive effect for African Americans, a negative effect for Puerto Ricans. The results are suggestive of the notion that the two groups are pursuing different paths of economic mobility.
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