Minority Concentration and Black-White Inequality in U.S. Labor Market Areas

Federal highway spending and economic growth in Appalachia

“…As predicted whenever the percent of blacks in a county has a significant effect on growth (in 5 of the 6 models) it is negative. This is supports the theory that the percentage of black in a county serves as a good proxy measure for infrastructure conditions (see Lyson 1989;Singlemann et al 1993;Talley and Cotton 1993;). This data would indicate that southern counties that historically have higher percentages of a black population suffer a slower economic growth than the nonsouthern regions of Appalachia.…”

“…In the south, counties with a higher percentage of non-white population have traditionally suffered from low infrastructure investment (new roads, water systems, etc. ), and percent black in a county serves as a good proxy measure for infrastructure conditions (see Lyson 1989;Singlemann et al 1993;Talley and Cotton 1993;). Therefore, regression models will contain a binary regional variable to test differences on the effects of highway spending on south or non-south counties (SOUTH).…”