African American Unemployment Rate More Than Twice the National Average

Washington, D.C. — According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released today, the African American unemployment rate in February rose to 10.9 percent, compared to 10.6 percent in January. The overall national unemployment rate last month also climbed to 5.4 percent. “Once again, African American unemployment numbers are disproportionately higher than the national average,” House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said. “More than 1-point six million African Americans looking for work, when are President Bush and Republicans in Congress going to realize that their reckless tax cuts for the rich have not produced the job growth that they promised?” The Bush Administration has the worst jobs record since that of the Hoover Administration. Since President Bush took office, there are 2 million more unemployed people and 4.3 million people are working part-time because they cannot find a full-time job, and African Americans continue to be disproportionately affected. “The rate of unemployment for African Americans is consistently more than double the rate for White Americans. This is simply unacceptable and must be dealt with. It can only be dealt with by an aggressive commitment to the Agenda outlined to the President by the Congressional Black Caucus in our meeting with him in January – a commitment to closing disparities that continue in every aspect of our lives,” Mel Watt, (D-NC) Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus said. “We call on the President, once again, to show his personal commitment to closing these disparities and call on him to rally the country behind the persistent and unfinished business of closing these disparities. Only then can our country realize its full potential and honor its commitment to provide equal opportunity for all.”