15949. "THE DECLINING SIGNIFICANCE OF RACE" BY WILLIAM JULIUS WILSON (BOOK REVIEW). This paper provides a summary and review of Wilson’s book. According to Wilson, although racial discrimination still exists in the U.S., the opportunities for African Americans in the modern industrial era are limited more by class status than by racial status. Keywords: race relations blacks economics. Written 2003. 5 pages; 19 footnotes;1 bibliographic source. 1,300 words.