The Impact of an Environmental Shock on Black-White Inequality: Evidence from the Boll Weevil

Previously circulated as “Changes in Black-White Inequality: Evidence from the Boll Weevil.” We began this project with Werner Troesken, and he provided extremely helpful insights during the project’s early stages. We miss him greatly. We would also like to thank Ran Abramitzky, Daniel Fetter, James Fenske, Andy Ferrara, Daniel Jones, Jessica LaVoice, Allison Shertzer, Andrew Smyth, Randy Walsh, and Gavin Wright for helpful comments and suggestions. This paper also benefited from comments by seminar participants at Case Western University, Marquette University, Stanford University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Warwick University and conference participants at the ASSA, the Liberal Arts Colleges Development Economics Conference, the North American Regional Science Association Conference, and the All UC Economic History Conference. Karen Clay acknowledges financial support from Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

• April 29, 2020
• June 4, 2020
• February 16, 2021