BY 1960, NEGROES CONSTITUTED 10.5 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES. THE RECENT GREATER RATE OF POPULATION GROWTH AMONG NEGROES THAN AMONG WHITES RESULTS LARGELY FROM A DROP IN THE NEGRO DEATH RATE. IN 1900, ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF NEGROES LIVED IN THE SOUTH. ONLY 60 PERCENT WERE STILL IN THE SOUTH BY 1960, AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM WERE IN TOWNS AND CITIES. ALMOST ALL MEN AGED 25 TO 54, BOTH WHITE AND NONWHITE, ARE IN THE LABOR FORCE. AS A RESULT OF DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS IN MORTALITY IN THE MIDDLE-AGE RANGE, LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR 20-YEAR-OLD NONWHITE MALES IN THE UNITED STATES INCREASED NEARLY 6 YEARS FROM 1940-55. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, WORK-LIFE EXPECTANCY INCREASED ALMOST 4 YEARS. UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE GENERALLY HIGHER AMONG NEGRO THAN AMONG WHITE WORKERS. ONE FACTOR IS THE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF NEGROES WHO ARE IN UNSKILLED WORK, WHERE UNEMPLOYMENT IS REGULARLY HEAVIER. ANOTHER IS THE FREQUENTLY LOWER SENIORITY RATINGS OF NEGRO WORKERS. INVOLUNTARY PART-TIME AND PART-YEAR WORK IS MORE PREVALENT AMONG NEGROES THAN WHITES. SINCE EARNINGS VARY WITH OCCUPATION, THE RELATIVE RISE IN NEGROES' OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS, AS WELL AS THEIR CONTINUING DISPROPORTIONATE CONCENTRATION IN LESS SKILLED JOBS, IS REFLECTED IN THEIR WAGE AND SALARY INCOMES. THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS A POLICY OF EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL CITIZENS, REGARDLESS OF RACE OR COLOR. PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT UNCONNECTED WITH THE GOVERNMENT IS NECESSARILY INFLUENCED BY THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENT OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN COMPANIES PERFORMING GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS. FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS, ALONG WITH COURT DECISIONS, HAVE ALSO ENSURED A MEASURE OF EQUALITY IN THE AREAS OF VOTING RIGHTS, PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, HOUSING, AND EDUCATION.