The Timing of the First Birth, Female Roles and Black Fertility

These facts take on added dimension when it is considered that certain differences by race in the roles of women would seem to encourage the lower fertility of black relative to white women.' One such difference is the greater participation of black women in the labor force. It has been argued that employment outside the home is an important stimulus for reducing desired family size.2 But, in the case of the blacks, if outside employment has influenced fertility desires, it has not succeeded in transforming desire into effective action. Another relevant difference by race in female roles is reflected in the higher rates of marital instability among blacks; black women are not as likely to be married for as long a period of time as are white women. This may restrict the fertility desires of black women, but it does not seem to play a major role in restricting their actual fertility. If black women have higher rates of labor force participation and marital instability than white women, why isn't their