African America’s March Jobs Report – 9.0%

Overall Unemployment: 5.0% (4.9%)

African America Unemployment: 9.0% (8.8%)

Latino America Unemployment: 5.6% (5.4%)

European America Unemployment: 4.3% (4.3%)

Asian America Unemployment: 4.0% (3.8%)

Previous month in parentheses.

Analysis: Overall unemployment rose slightly in the month of March from the previous month. No group to experienced a decline, while European America was the only group to go unchanged. All other groups saw 20 basis point increases in their unemployment rates.

African American Male Unemployment: 8.7% (8.6%)

African American Female Unemployment: 8.0% (7.9%)

African American Teenage Unemployment: 25.3% (23.3%)

African American Male Participation: 67.2% (67.5%)

African American Female Participation: 61.5% (62.0%)

African American Teenage Participation: 30.5% (28.8%)

Previous month in parentheses.

Analysis:African American males had a 10 basis point increase in their unemployment rate and a 30 basis point decrease in their participation rate. African American females had a 10 basis point increase in their unemployment rate and a 50 basis point decrease in their participation rate. African American teenagers unemployment rate increased 200 basis points and participation rate experienced an increase of 170 basis points.

CONCLUSION: The overall economy added 215 000 jobs in March. African America lost 92 000 jobs in March marking the first decrease in the past five months. The African American labor force also pulled back with a decline of almost 60 000 after three months of growth. Thankfully, participation rate over the past five months remains virtually unchanged meaning that African America’s employment situation is basically doggy paddling in the middle of the economic ocean, still. While some believe that improving job conditions are pulling the rest of the nation off the sideline, it appears to be sending African American to it. This could be largely dependent on the types of jobs and where African America is concentrated. An unusual rise for African American teenagers participation rate, while the adults declined. The market and economy are showing modest growth, but the true sustainability of it remains to be seen with so many negative marks in the global macroeconomic environment.

African American needs an increase of 779 000 jobs to match the country’s unemployment rate – an increase of 20 000 jobs from the previous month.