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Consortium honoring Bill Spriggs’ contributions to policy, economics, and the economics profession

January 3 – 4, 2026
Allied Social Science Associations
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

William (Bill) Spriggs
Photo: Jake MacDonald/Federal Reserve

Over nearly four decades as a professional economist, William (Bill) Spriggs made significant contributions to labor economics, economic policy, and the practice of economics research and training. Bill passed away in June 2023, while actively continuing his work in all three wide-ranging domains. At the time of his death, Bill was serving on the advisory board of the Opportunity & Inclusive Growth Institute and advising Fed leadership. He was also president-elect of the Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA).

To honor and celebrate Bill’s meaningful and multifaceted contributions, LERA, the Federal Reserve Institute, and the National Economic Association (NEA) are co-organizing a consortium of three sessions at the Allied Social Science Associations annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Consortium Agenda

Session Honoring the Contributions of William Spriggs to Policy, Economics and the Economics Profession: Segregation, Institutions, and Unions
Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 12:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

Hosted By: National Economic Association

Chair: Robynn Cox, University of California-Riverside
Presenters:
  • David McMillon, Emory University—Does Racial Hierarchy Really Harm Everyone? Relative Status Envy and the Economics of Reparative Reforms
  • Robynn Cox, University of California-Riverside—Quality Employment, Capital Ownership, and the Racial Wealth Gap: The Case of ESOP Employment
  • Spencer Banzhaf, North Carolina State University; William Mathews, University of Pittsburgh; Randall Walsh, University of Pittsburgh—Hell with the Lid Off: Racial Segregation and Environmental Equity in America’s Most Polluted City
  • Ellora Derenoncourt, Princeton University; François Gerard, University College London; Lorenzo Lagos, Brown University; Claire Montialoux, Sciences Po—What Do (Thousands of) Unions Do? Union-Specific Pay Premia and Inequality
  • Phanindra V. Wunnava, Middlebury College; Austin Gill, Analysis Group—Do Unions Decrease Earnings Inequality?

Labor Markets and Education: Papers in the Bill Spriggs Research and Policy Tradition
Sunday, January 4, 2026 | 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

Hosted By: Labor and Employment Relations Association

Chair: Jesse Rothstein, University of California-Berkeley
Presenters:
  • Eddie Gray, Hampton University and Omari H. Swinton, Howard University—Returns to Black Skill Acquisition through the lens of the Buffalo Soldiers
  • Michelle Holder, City University of New York—Did the Post-pandemic Improvement in the Labor Force Position of Black Men Benefit those without College Degrees in the U.S.?
  • Chantal Smith, Washington and Lee University—Desegregation and Military Installations: Does Military Presence Influence School Racial Composition?
  • Monique E. Davis, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research—Safety for Whom? How Law Enforcement and School Resource Officer Training Impacts Racial Gaps in School Exclusionary Discipline
Discussants:
  • Bryan A. Stuart, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
  • Bradley L. Hardy, American University
  • Abigail Wozniak, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
  • Bocar Ba, Duke University

Luncheon Plenary: Lessons from Bill Spriggs’ Contributions to Economics and Economic Policy
Sunday, January 4, 2026 | 12:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. ET (Ticketed Event!)
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

Hosted By: Labor and Employment Relations Association

Chair: Abigail Wozniak, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Panelists:
  • Neel Kashkari, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
  • Lawrence Mishel, Economic Policy Institute
  • Cecilia A. Conrad, Lever for Change and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
  • William M. Rodgers III, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
  • Kasey Buckles, University of Notre Dame
This event is ticketed so that LERA can get an accurate headcount and not be wasteful of resources. The ticket cost is deeply discounted and should be accessible for everyone at $10 a ticket. We hope very much you will attend and help us honor the memory and body of work of Bill Spriggs. Please purchase your discounted ticket below so we know you plan to attend! If you need assistance with this ticket price, please reach out to us at [email protected]. 

Purchase ticket for the Plenary Luncheon here.

How do I attend?

  1. To attend ALL of these sessions above, please first register for the Allied Social Science Associations annual meeting on the AEA website: https://www.aeaweb.org/conference/. Your ASSA meeting badge will gain you entrance to these events.

  2. Additionally to attend the Sunday luncheon, you will need to purchase a discounted ticket so we know you will be there!

Consortium Committee

The program committee members are Abigail Wozniak, Opportunity & Inclusive Growth Institute, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis; Robynn Cox, University of California, Riverside; Jesse Rothstein, University of California, Berkeley; and Omari Swinton, Howard University.