This study examines contemporary racial discrimination in the low-wage labor market of New York City through a field experiment. The researchers recruited white, black, and Latino job applicants who were matched on demographic characteristics and interpersonal skills. These applicants were sent to apply for hundreds of entry-level jobs, and the results showed that black applicants were half as likely as equally qualified whites to receive a callback or job offer. Black and Latino applicants with clean backgrounds fared no better than white applicants just released from prison. The study also includes qualitative evidence from applicants' experiences, illustrating multiple points at which employment trajectories can be deflected by racial bias. Despite legal bans on discrimination and changes in racial attitudes since the 1960s, racial differences in employment remain significant forms of economic inequality. The study highlights the subtle yet systematic forms of discrimination that continue to shape employment opportunities for low-wage workers, particularly in the context of changing job requirements and increasing ethnic heterogeneity.This study examines contemporary racial discrimination in the low-wage labor market of New York City through a field experiment. The researchers recruited white, black, and Latino job applicants who were matched on demographic characteristics and interpersonal skills. These applicants were sent to apply for hundreds of entry-level jobs, and the results showed that black applicants were half as likely as equally qualified whites to receive a callback or job offer. Black and Latino applicants with clean backgrounds fared no better than white applicants just released from prison. The study also includes qualitative evidence from applicants' experiences, illustrating multiple points at which employment trajectories can be deflected by racial bias. Despite legal bans on discrimination and changes in racial attitudes since the 1960s, racial differences in employment remain significant forms of economic inequality. The study highlights the subtle yet systematic forms of discrimination that continue to shape employment opportunities for low-wage workers, particularly in the context of changing job requirements and increasing ethnic heterogeneity.