Unemployment and Job Discrimination Escalates for African Americans

Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, covering the March for Jobs in Pittsburgh on September 20, 2009. The event was held in the historic 'Hill District' and started off a week of protests surrounding the G20. (Photo: Alan Pollock), a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Job discrimination persists for black Americans

Colin Campbell, Press TV, Washington
Sat Apr 2, 2011 11:54PM
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/172796.html

Cousins Dejah and Randi Campbell are already looking for a summer job. But they know they'll be fighting an uphill battle as Black Americans in a slow-to-recover US economy.

Unemployment around the country fell to a better-than-expected 8.8 percent in March as the economy added roughly 216,000 jobs, the Labor Department announced this week. But for African-Americans, Black unemployment actually increased in March, from 15.3 to 15.5 percent--this is in comparison to jobless white workers at 7.9 percent.

For some it's not quite a surprise.

A new report by the National Urban League, a leading U.S. civil rights organization, says a big disparity exists between whites and African Americans who struggle to find jobs, get adequate healthcare and enroll in college. The annual study examines the lives of blacks in the United States and suggests that they are worse off as the nation climbs out from the biggest economic downturn since the 19-thirties.

Some urban organizations such as the Greater Washington Urban Leauge--part of the National Urban League are trying to come up with a plan to buck the current trend. But some people are skeptical at a time when the whole nation is hurting economically.

The Urban League says it would like to see more summer jobs programs and training like what the Campbell cousins are looking for. But experts say to improve black unemployment stagnation it will take an industry-wide approach that also encourages racial sensitivities.

The plight of Black Americans and unemployment remains in question. The overall job market is still crawling and the section of the employment sector with the most growth holds the lowest paying jobs. The Urban League will be offering its suggestions to improve the Black unemployment situation to members of Congress this week.


Jobless rate up among Afro-Americans

Sat Apr 2, 2011 6:7PM

African-Americans desperate to find jobs
Despite the United States claiming to have created 216,000 job opportunities in March, a new report reveals that the rate of unemployment has increased among African-Americans.

The African-American unemployment rate increased from 15.3 to 15.5 percent in March, while the figure stood at only 7.9 percent among Caucasian Americans, The Huffington Post reported.

The new jobs have lowered unemployment rate to 8.8 percent while it is still far from what Washington needs to achieve in order to resolve the jobless problem.

The US overall unemployment rate hit 10.1 percent after the Great Recession in October 2009, leaving African-American unemployment unchanged at 15.3 percent. This rate, however, reached 16.5 percent in March and April 2010.

Economists say there are still 13 million people officially unemployed. However, if those unofficially unemployed, such as the underemployed and those still seeking jobs, are included in the count, 25 million people is closer to the actual number of those without work.