With pay cuts, foreclosures and layoffs a plenty, it’s easy to think that the recession has hit us all in a bad way. But statistics show that the group that is suffering the most from this Great Recession is Black men who face almost twice as many job loss rates as other groups in America. Black male unemployment is at 17 percent while the national rate is 10.2 percent. These numbers are similar to those of the Great Depression in the 1930’s with almost one in every 5 African American male out of work.
While the unemployment rate for Black men has historically been twice that of white men, this huge disparity could be due to the types of jobs that have been eliminated during this recession–jobs that did not require college education, as African American men are less likely than other groups to hold a degree. The demand for these jobs also take longer to develop after an economy has recovered from a recession. Experts say education is the key to recovery for black males.
While African American Women are more likely to continue their education beyond high school, the Black female unemployment rate is also higher than average at 12.4 percent.