Black jobless rate was 6.60 percent in April, the lowest since 1972, but…
April Jobless Rate Chart: North Star News
Special to the Outlook
April’s jobless rate for Black men and Black women improved to 6.60 percent, down from 6.90 percent in March as the nonfarm business payroll increased by 164,000, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported May 4.
The jobless rate for Blacks was the lowest since 1972 but that was because some African- Americans stopped looking for work. The government counts a person as unemployed if he or she is out of work and looking for work.
BLS also reported that hourly earning rose only 4 cents to $26.84. Although the unemployment rate for African-Americans improved, it was still higher compared to Whites, which was 3.60 percent. The jobless rate for Hispanics was 4.80 percent. Asians had the lowest unemployment rate of 2.80 percent.
The overall unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent from 4.1 percent. The unemployment rate in April for Black men 20 and older was 6.4 percent, up from 6.10 percent in March, BLS reporters. The jobless rate for Black women 20 and older in April was 5.30 percent down from 6.00 percent in March.
BLS reported that employment increased in professional and business services, manufacturing, health care and mining.
