Persistence and change in the establishment: Religion, education, and gender among America's elite, 1950 and 1992

This study analyzes the extent to which the religious, educational, and gender characteristics of American leaders have changed during the post-World War II period. A systematic sample of the brief biographies in the 1950-51 and 1992-93 editions of Who's Who in America is used to analyze the social characteristics of American leaders. The findings indicate that non-Protestants and graduates of non-select schools are increasingly listed in Who's Who, but mainline Protestants and degree holders from the top private colleges continue to be over-represented among the nation's cultural and power elites. Women have made some gains but remain under-represented among the nation's leaders. The findings are discussed in the context of a modified fair shares theoretical perspective, which emphasizes that religion, education, and gender serve as status factors that influence people's life chances. The analysis looks at the role of status factors in educational admissions, occupational recruitment, and career mobility.