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Abstract

Research that examines the intersections of race, gender, and class in the labor market often points to the fact that African American women are concentrated in the lowest sectors of the labor market, performing the least desirable jobs. Discrimination, the dislocation of work, and even cultural deficiency have all been posited as explanations for Black women's disproportionate concentration in low-wage work. Rather than adding to the voluminous literature that addresses the structural causes for Black women's overrepresentation in this sector of the labor market, this study explores the viability of entrepreneurship as a route to economic stability for working-class Black women. Accepting the reality that working-class Black women are heavily represented among low-wage workers, this study draws from interviews with Black women salon owners to determine whether this form of entrepreneurship functions as a feasible alternative to low-wage labor.

Keywords

entrepreneurship hair industry race class gender

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Personal Satisfaction and Economic Improvement

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