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Of all demographic groups in the United States, the black community has been hit hardest by the unemployment crisis. Indeed, the percentage of currently unemployed African Americans is more than double that of whites, comparing more closely in some cities to those of the Great Depression.
In major cities like Detroit, Milwaukee and Minneapolis, black unemployment doubled from 2007 to 2010, with each of those cities recording jobless rates of more than 20 percent in 2010, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Those figures reflect the wider trend of skyrocketing black unemployment. In August, nationwide black unemployment stood at 16.7 percent, compared to an average of 8.5 percent in 2007.
Economists blame the black unemployment crisis on a variety of factors, including a younger workforce, a smaller proportion of college-educated job candidates and a higher population of citizens living in areas that have been most affected by recession, according to CNN Money.
Overall, however, the unemployment gap between blacks and whites has stayed relatively the same through the economic crisis. According to the Economic Policy Insitute, in 2009 and 2010 the national black-to-white unemployment ratio was 2-to-1 -- roughly the same as it's been since the government began keeping track in 1972, CNN Money reports.
Southeast DC or Ward 8 as it is officially called, which is overwhelmingly poor and Black, has the highest official unemployment rate in the country. This area of the city is over 90%+ Black with many streets and neighborhoods being 100% Black in residency.
Paradoxically, DC is bordered by the richest Black county in America, Prince George's County, Maryland. There are literally thousands of upper middle class Black federal workers in PG County, Montgomery County, Howard County, Northern Virginia and within DC city limits. Knowing this we can conclude that the DC metro is actual a national stronghold of the Black middle class and affluence. However, within the city limits of DC, proper, the face of poverty and unemployment is overwhelmingly Black. DC also has one of the highest concentrations of poverty in the nation with one out of five DC residents living below the official poverty line, the vast majority of them being Black living in the Northeast and Southeast quadrants of the city.
Where's the positive (inverse) side to these numbers (i.e. where black employment is rising the fastest?)?
Good luck finding that. I'd guess and say that college towns might be places where there is an increase in employment. Perhaps states with low Black percentages that has seen an increase in population of Blacks.
Ironic that SF is on the list since it's the place where wages are increasing. I guess it's for the college educated. It's rough everywhere if you don't have a degree.
Where's the positive (inverse) side to these numbers (i.e. where black employment is rising the fastest?)?
Don't know if there is even a list. However, Atlanta and DC have high percentages of blacks with college degrees. Unfortunately, both cities have lots of blacks that are not doing good.
Any report highlighting the employment situation in major metros these days need to be taken with a grain of salt as we are in the midst of a very bad economy.
The fact that Dallas and Washington DC, arguably two of the nation's strongest labor markets at the moment, are both in this ranking, illustrate how things are topsy turvy.
It also illustrates how the jobs that are being created appear to be eluding Blacks altogether.
Any report highlighting the employment situation in major metros these days need to be taken with a grain of salt as we are in the midst of a very bad economy.
The fact that Dallas and Washington DC, arguably two of the nation's strongest labor markets at the moment, are both in this ranking, illustrate how things are topsy turvy.
It also illustrates how the jobs that are being created appear to be eluding Blacks altogether.
We need to work on that.
I think you are missing the fact that the federal government is one of the biggest employers of black america. 95% of my family lives out there in the DC AREA.Some of them work for the Feds. They do everything from researching diseases for the navy to practicing law.
The only other sector of the economy that comes even remotely close to being as black friendly as goverment is manufacturing, and even then, it is a stretch.
Nice try but the simple matter of the fact is that SF Bay and Los Angeles continue to offer minimal opportunites for the black community, so folks are looking else where. Hence why the Bay and La's and California's black population is roughly half the national average.
The most significant factor regarding the unemployment rate of African Americans (or any other group) is educational attainment. As a whole, there persists a wide gap in the level of educational attainment between African Americans and the U.S. average. Unfortunately, the result of this difference becomes more pronounced in tougher economic times such as the one we are in now.
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