Working Paper: NBER ID: w27101
Authors: Karen Clay; Ethan J. Schmick
Abstract: This paper estimates the causal effect of the boll weevil on home ownership, wages, and intergenerational mobility of Black and White sons born around the time of its arrival. The boll weevil resulted in a negative shock to cotton production and a positive shock to food-related agricultural products. Using a linked data set of fathers and sons, we find Black sons born after the weevil’s arrival experienced large relative gains in outcomes. The paper discusses a number of mechanisms and provides evidence on two related mechanisms: relative improvements in Black fathers’ income ranks and improvements in Black sons’ early-life conditions.
Keywords: Boll Weevil; Black-White Inequality; Home Ownership; Wages; Intergenerational Mobility
JEL Codes: I24; J10; J62; N32
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| arrival of the boll weevil (N91) | black sons' home ownership rates (R21) |
| arrival of the boll weevil (N91) | black sons' wages (J31) |
| arrival of the boll weevil (N91) | black fathers' income ranks (D31) |
| black fathers' income ranks (D31) | black sons' outcomes (I24) |
| arrival of the boll weevil (N91) | early-life conditions for black sons (J79) |
| early-life conditions for black sons (J79) | black sons' outcomes (I24) |
| improvements in nutrition (I15) | early-life conditions for black sons (J79) |
| arrival of the boll weevil (N91) | impact larger in significant cotton-producing counties (F69) |