Racial Segregation and Black-White Longevity Disparities

Racial segregation is widely understood to be a mechanism linking racial stratification to zero-sum Black-White outcomes. However, historical and demographic evidence show that segregation also shapes broader,macro-level dynamics, such as income sorting, the availability of public goods, and policy outcomes thatundermine the well-being of all residents. This paper tests the argument that segregation leads to Whiteadvantage and, simultaneously, Black disadvantage. To do so, I link 1905-1920 birth cohorts in the 1940 Censusto Social Security death records and use an instrumental-variable design leveraging variation in governmentfragmentation to estimate the effect of segregation on longevity. Estimates reveal a 10-point increase insegregation reduced Black and White longevity by 0.44 and 0.29 years, respectively, with pronounced harmsfor less-educated Whites. These findings highlight how mechanisms of racial stratification intersect withpopulation processes and social class to shape life chances across racial groups, thus countering zero-sumarguments.