Blacks and Social Security Benefits: Trends, 1960–73

Blacks and whites are compared with respect to selected provisions of the OA6DHI programtype of benefiezary, age of beneficiaries, size of benefits, and size of covered earnfngs-for the period from 1960 to 1973. There have been substantial increases in the number of black beneficiaries since 1960, and in most beneficiary groupe blacks have increased proportionately more than whites. Black8 are heavily represented among young beneficiaries but are underrepresented among aged beneficiaries. The average monthly benefit of black beneficiaries was substantially belou! that of white beneficiaries in 1979, and the gap zn benefit levels has narrowed only slightly since 1960 several reasons for this discrepancy-the moat Important of which are differentials in the szze of covered earnings and years in covered employment-are discussed. The major conclusion is that the present discrepancies in benefit levels will persist for some time, at least among men, because of continued earnings difference8 within the younger generation.