Overall Unemployment: 4.9% (4.9%)
African America Unemployment: 8.1% (8.4%)
Latino America Unemployment: 5.6% (5.4%)
European America Unemployment: 4.4% (4.3%)
Asian America Unemployment: 4.2% (3.8%)
Previous month in parentheses.
Analysis: Overall unemployment was unchanged. All groups except African America saw a rise in their unemployment rate, who saw a 30 basis point decline in their unemployment rate. Asian, European, and Latino America saw rises of 40, 10, and 20 basis points, respectively.
African American Male Unemployment: 7.6% (8.2%)
African American Female Unemployment: 7.1% (7.3%)
African American Teenage Unemployment: 26.1% (25.7%)
African American Male Participation: 67.3% (67.7%)
African American Female Participation: 62.2% (61.0%)
African American Teenage Participation: 31.6% (27.7%)
Analysis: African American men saw a 60 basis point decline in their unemployment, but also saw a 40 basis point decline in their participation rate. African American women saw a 20 basis point decline in their unemployment rate, but a 120 basis point increase in their participation rate. African American teenagers saw 40 basis point increase in their unemployment rate, but a 390 basis point increase in their participation rate.
CONCLUSION:The overall economy added 151 000 jobs in August. A significant drop the 255 000 in July. However, African America added an unprecedented 280 000 jobs in August after only 31 000 jobs in July. This marks only the second time since HBCU Money started reporting the African American Jobs Report that African America’s job growth has outpaced overall America. The overall jobs though did come in less than estimates of 180 000, which has many questioning whether or not the Federal Reserve and Chairwoman Janet Yellen will actually raise rates or continue to kick the can down the road.
African America currently needs 634 000 jobs to match America’s unemployment rate. A decrease of 46 000 from July.
HBCU Money 