Immigration, Race, and the Boundaries of Organized Labor in the Twentieth Century

While unions played a central role in reducing inequality and shaping political life throughout the twentieth century, they historically drew sharp boundaries between insiders and outsiders – frequently excluding immigrants, Black workers, and women. Economist Carlo Medici will examine how demographic shifts shaped unions’ inclusion of diverse workers and how unions, in turn, impacted immigrant and Black workers’ access to economic and political opportunity. He will analyze archival records and census and electoral data for his project.