Final answer:
Post-World War II, a significant wage gap existed between White and minority workers, which narrowed following the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Wage ratios between Black and White workers, as well as female and male workers, improved over time though disparities remain.
Step-by-step explanation:
Wage Disparity Based on Race and Gender
During the historical period following World War II, there was a significant difference between the typical wages of White American workers and minority workers. In the 1950s, the median income of White families was $20,656 compared to $11,203 for Black families. By 1960, White families earned an average of $28,485 annually, while Black families earned $15,786. Despite growth in income, a gap persisted. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the wage ratio between Black and White workers improved after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which helped narrow the earnings gap by making it illegal to refuse employment to a worker based on race. The wage ratios for Black workers compared to White workers saw substantial improvement in the late 1960s and 1970s but remained relatively unchanged afterward. A similar trend is observed for the wage ratios between female and male workers, where little change occurred in the 1970s, with substantial improvements beginning in the 1980s.
Understanding Wage Ratios by Sex and Race
The ratio of wages for Black workers to White workers saw a noteworthy increase in the late 1960s and 1970s, peaking in the 1990s, with Black earnings reaching above 80% of White earnings. Moving into the modern era, a decline brought the earnings ratio to the low 70s. Throughout this historical timeline, earnings gaps continued to exist both between Black and White workers and between female and male workers, albeit narrowing significantly from previous decades.