Economic Crisis Deepens: 106,000 Black Women Out of Work in One Month

In April, Black women faced the most significant job losses among all demographic groups, shedding 106,000 positions, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Despite the economy generating 177,000 jobs and maintaining a 4.2% unemployment rate, the employed Black female workforce declined from 10.325 million to 10.219 million. Their unemployment rate spiked from 5.1% to 6.1%, marking the largest month-over-month increase across all racial and gender segments. While the overall Black unemployment rate rose to 6.3%, contrastingly, Black men noted a decrease in their jobless figures from 6.1% to 5.6%. Economist William Michael Cunningham highlighted the detrimental impact of current policies on job accessibility for Black women. Overall, sectors like healthcare and transportation reported growth, yet disparities persist.