Changing patterns of interracial marriage in a multiracial society

Z Qian, DT Lichter - Journal of Marriage and Family, 2011 - Wiley Online Library
Journal of Marriage and Family, 2011Wiley Online Library
We use incidence data from the 1980 Census and 2008 American Community Survey to
track recent trends in interracial marriage. Intermarriage with Whites increased rapidly
among Blacks but stalled among Asians and American Indians. Black–White intermarriage
increased threefold over 1980–2008, independent of changing socioeconomic status,
suggesting declining social distance between Blacks and Whites. Marriages between the
US‐and foreign‐born populations also grew rapidly. Marriages to immigrants increased …
We use incidence data from the 1980 Census and 2008 American Community Survey to track recent trends in interracial marriage. Intermarriage with Whites increased rapidly among Blacks but stalled among Asians and American Indians. Black–White intermarriage increased threefold over 1980–2008, independent of changing socioeconomic status, suggesting declining social distance between Blacks and Whites. Marriages between the U.S.‐ and foreign‐born populations also grew rapidly. Marriages to immigrants increased fivefold among U.S.‐born Asian women and doubled among U.S.‐born Latinas since 1980. Out‐marriage to Whites also was higher among self‐identified biracial than monoracial individuals, but these differences were smallest among Blacks. Interracial couples were overrepresented among cohabiting couples. Finally, log‐linear models provide evidence of growing racial exogamy, but only after adjusting for changing demographic opportunities for intermarriage. Marriages between U.S.‐ and foreign‐born coethnics have been driven by new immigration while slowing the upward trajectory of interracial marriage in America.
Wiley Online Library