Unemployment Situation Among Black Males In U.S. Is Dire! Here’s Why

This article discusses the connection between the unemployment rates of black men and the low educational attainment and high incarceration rates of this group – and the disparity is great and the situation is dire!

Consider the following:

• The employment rate for young black men dropped is less than 50%, while it is almost 68% for young white men
• The high school graduation rate for black men, currently at 73%, is still 10 percentage points behind that of white men.
• Only 37% of black men obtain a college degree by age 24 compared to 49% of white males.
• The imprisonment rate of 18-19 year old black men is 9 times higher than that of white men and 7 times higher for those 20-24 years old.
• Black men are unemployed on average six weeks longer than the national average.
• Black men earn $217 less per week than white men on average – that’s $11,284 per year less!

To Read More » of the article complete with tables and graphs go here or click on the title below:

Black Male Unemployment Situation In U.S. Is Dire! Here’s Why

In early October, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) released a report entitled “Feel the Heat!” that details the economic status of black men in the United States.  Author Linda Harris discusses this group’s high unemployment rates, which she attributes to high incarceration rates, low graduation rates, and a lack of support systems to help black men out of this low-income trap. Read More »