The latest job report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows an alarming and steady trend. The unemployment rate for Black Americans has soared to 8.3% under President Donald Trump’s administration. This is the highest reading since August 2021, when the unemployment rate was 7.5% in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
In May, the Black unemployment rate for Black workers fell to a low for the year at 6.0%. That was a rate just 1.8 percentage points above
the overall unemployment rate for the month. By November, the unemployment rate among Black workers was 3.7 points higher than the broader U.S. workforce, NBC News reports.While the economy continues to show steady signs of slowing down
for hiring, Black workers have been disproportionately impacted. Job loss for Black workers is outpacing the population overall. While the unemployment rate rose by just 0.4%, Black unemployment rose by 2.3%.Black Women Taking Hardest Hit As Unemployment Climbs To 7%
According to the Center for American Progress (CAP), the latest job report shows warning signs that the economy is weakening. The total number of jobs increased by 64,000 in November and decreased by 105,000 in October.
However, what’s even more concerning is that Black women continue to take the hardest hit for job loss, despite being the most educated nationwide. Black women’s unemployment stood at 7.1% in November, compared with 5.4% in January, CAP points out. For perspective, the unemployment rate for white workers has barely moved from its average of 3.7% in the first half of the year.
“The adage ‘last hired, first fired,’ which describes the uneven labor market experiences of different races and ethnicities at the start of a recession, may hold again,” CAP analysts write.
Last month, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley called on the Federal Reserve to take action to address the unemployment rate for Black women following the release of the September jobs report.
“As the primary breadwinners for many households, Black women are the backbones of our families and our economy,” Pressley said.
“Their systematic pushout not only has dangerous consequences for Black women, Black families, Black futures. It is also a glaring red flag for the entire U.S. economy.”RELATED CONTENT: Depo-Provera Risks and Racial Disparity: As Brain Tumor Lawsuits Mount, Critics Recall History Of Targeting Black Women