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Black Economic Progress in the Jim Crow South: Evidence from Rosenwald Schools

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  • Mohammed, A. R. Shariq
  • Mohnen, Paul

Abstract

This paper studies the labor market impact of the Rosenwald Schools Initiative, a school construction program in the early twentieth-century South. Using a new sample linking Social Security and census records, we find that exposure to Rosenwald schools raised Black women’s labor force participation and occupational standing in 1940; however, we find little evidence that Black men’s occupational standing significantly improved. Blacks made no discernible gains in jobs where they were underrepresented, while the gains they achieved were concentrated in jobs where they were commonly found. This suggests that the scope for Black occupational advancement was limited around 1940.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammed, A. R. Shariq & Mohnen, Paul, 2025. "Black Economic Progress in the Jim Crow South: Evidence from Rosenwald Schools," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 85(1), pages 72-109, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:85:y:2025:i:1:p:72-109_3
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