African America’s November Jobs Report – 11.1%

Overall Unemployment: 5.8% (5.8%)

African America Unemployment: 11.1% (10.9%)

Latino America Unemployment: 6.6% (6.8%)

European America Unemployment: 4.9% (4.8%)

Asian America Unemployment: 4.8% (5.0%)

Previous month in parentheses.

Analysis: The overall unemployment rate went unchanged. Rising and falling unemployment was split between the four groups with African and European America both seeing blips upward and Latino and Asian America seeing blips downward. African America continues to be the only group with double digit unemployment.

African American Male Unemployment: 11.2% (10.7%)

African American Female Unemployment: 9.6% (9.4%)

African American Teenage Unemployment: 28.1% (32.6%)

African American Male Participation: 67.1% (67.7%)

African American Female Participation: 62.0% (61.4%)

African American Teenage Participation: 30.3% (29.0%)

Previous month in parentheses.

Analysis: African American males were hit with a double negative seeing their unemployment rate climb 50 basis points and their participation rate decline 60 basis points. African American females had their unemployment rate relatively unchanged with a slight uptick 20 basis points, but a healthy climb in participation rates of 60 basis points. African American teenagers achieved a double positive with their unemployment rate dropping an unprecedented 450 basis points and their participation rate increasing 130 basis points.

CONCLUSION: The overall economy added 321 000 jobs in November. This is the biggest gain of jobs in nearly three years and marks at least ten months of at least 200 000 job gains or more which has not happen in almost thirty years. African America added just 31 000 jobs in November; a rebound from its loss of 41 000 jobs the previous month. In the overall economy white-collar jobs led the way, but the same is not true for African America. African American teenagers led the way with a 56 000 jobs breaking through 500 000 plus employed for the first time this year. A much needed boost for a much maligned group. African American females also had a healthy gain of 86 000 jobs and reaching their second highest participation rate in the past five months. Unfortunately, with African American males in the decline African America now needs 222 000 jobs added to get its unemployment rate to the mythical 9.9 percent. An increase from last month’s 210 000 needed.