Here are 8 possible reasons why African American unemployment rates are high:

  1. Discrimination: African Americans face systemic racial discrimination that limits their access to job opportunities, according to a report by the Economic Policy Institute. (source: https://www.epi.org/publication/the-racial-wage-gap-how-african-americans-have-been-left-behind/)
  2. Lack of educational opportunities: African Americans are more likely to attend underfunded schools and receive a lower quality education, which can limit their job prospects. (source: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2017/04/17/how-us-education-fails-to-equip-students-for-the-workforce/)
  3. Occupational segregation: African Americans are disproportionately represented in low-paying jobs and underrepresented in high-paying jobs, according to a report by the Joint Economic Committee. (source: https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/e1d84c7f-7622-4653-bc44-d99459643f7e/african-american-workers-2017.pdf)
  4. Discriminatory criminal justice policies: African Americans are more likely to have criminal records due to discriminatory policies and practices in the criminal justice system, which can limit their job prospects. (source: https://www.naacp.org/criminal-justice-fact-sheet/)
  5. Lack of access to capital: African Americans are less likely to have access to the capital they need to start or expand a business, which can limit their job creation potential. (source: https://www.brookings.edu/research/why-is-black-entrepreneurship-lower-than-white-entrepreneurship-and-what-can-be-done-about-it/)
  6. Geography: African Americans are more likely to live in areas with high unemployment rates and limited job opportunities, according to a report by the Economic Policy Institute. (source: https://www.epi.org/publication/the-african-american-unemployment-crisis-is-not-over/)
  7. Health disparities: African Americans are more likely to experience health problems that limit their ability to work, such as high rates of diabetes and heart disease. (source: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/black-health.htm)
  8. Economic downturns: African Americans are more likely to work in industries that are vulnerable to economic downturns, such as retail and hospitality, which can lead to high rates of job loss during economic downturns. (source: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2016/06/27/1-demographic-trends-and-economic-well-being/)
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