The African-American Unemployment Crisis Continues

By Travis Waldron on Nov 3, 2012 at 9:30 am

The American labor market continued its steady recovery in October, as the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the economy added 171,000 jobs last month. The nation’s unemployment rate is now 7.9 percent, and there is an unquestionable recovery taking place. Lost in the positive news, though, is that the unemployment rate for African-Americans rose nearly a full point to 14.3 percent, up from 13.4 percent in September.

The black unemployment rate has fallen from its Great Recession peak of 16.7 percent, but it’s at the same level it was in October 2011, even though the nation’s overall unemployment rate has fallen more than a full point since then. As this chart from The Roosevelt Institute’s Mike Konczal shows, black unemployment averaged 8.6 percent before the recession:

Occupy Your Mind

Luke 10:29-37

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 

30 Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 

31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 

32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

33 But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 

34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 

35 The next day he took out two denarii,* gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” 

36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ 

37 He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

 - Luke 10:29-37