Black-white unions: West Indians and African Americans compared

Demography. 2001 May;38(2):177-85. doi: 10.1353/dem.2001.0019.

Abstract

In this research we use 1990 PUMS data to compare the propensity for unions between African Americans and native whites with the propensity for unions between British West Indians and native whites. In addition, we distinguish women and men. Descriptive statistics indicate that West Indians, with the exception of men who arrived as adults, are more likely than African Americans to have white partners. After the introduction of controls for several correlates of intermarriage, however, West Indian men of any generation have lower exogamy rates than African American men, while exogamy rates are higher among West Indian women who arrived as children or who were born in the United States than among African American women. Thus we find no consistent evidence of greater exogamy for British West Indians than for African Americans.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Africa / ethnology
  • Age Factors
  • Black People
  • Black or African American* / psychology
  • Black or African American* / statistics & numerical data
  • Child
  • Choice Behavior*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Marriage / ethnology
  • Marriage / statistics & numerical data*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Race Relations*
  • Residence Characteristics
  • United States
  • West Indies / ethnology
  • White People* / psychology
  • White People* / statistics & numerical data