The secular trend over the last 40 years has been very slow progress, as the relative low in unemployment from the early 1970s was superseded in the 1990s, which in turn was superseded by that of the 2000s, and now that too has been eclipsed. But of course, the black unemployment rate has for that entire time been higher than that for whites.
Next, let’s compare black and Latino unemployment:
Similarly, for the entire forty year period, the rate of African American unemployment has been higher than that of Latino unemployment. What is most telling is that this metric hit a low point over 20 years ago. Since 1995 the proportion of Latino unemployment has decreased compared with black unemployment.
I believe this has had important political consequences. Like African American unemployment, the Latino unemployment rate has risen relative to white unemployment during and after recessions, and improved as expansions continues. Unlike black unemployment, however, Latino unemployment never blew out in the late 1970s and 1980s, and more strikingly, in both of this and the last expansion has come within 1.2% of white unemployment:
On the one hand, while we don’t have any historical statistics that I am aware of with earlier immigrant groups, I suspect that Latinos hare having a typical immigrant experience: the first generation establishes the beachhead, and the second and thir d generations approach the employment norms of the majority natives.
But on the other hand, I think this has played a significant role in the backlash that gave us Donald Trump. Remember that the single issue which most changed in importance motivating voters between 2012 and 2016 was immigration:
When we consider that even with a conquerable education, the rate of black unemployment is still above that of Latino unemployment, and that black college graduates have an unemployment rate equivalent to that of whites who don’t even have an associates degree, I am afraid that racial prejudice still plays a role in the jobs market.
What is a “conquerable education”? Never heard the phrase but happy to learn something new.
Lower black unemployment should provide some other benefits including greater community stability through more incomes. Various studies have shown black (and lower income white) displacement by Latinos, many of whom were undocumented. Reducing immigration to legal applicants only would seem to provide one element of support in stabilizing black communities in particular. While there are many elements to consider, that little boost from employment can’t hurt when trying to increase the well-being of fellow Americans.
And what’s left out is that “employment” wages/salaries are lower for black and Hispanics with the same levels of education, which means that the composite incomes per capita of blacks and Hispanics are much lower — and regionally variant.
In your last chart Blacks have nearly twice (1.9x) the rate of white unemployment for less than high school education levels. yet blacks are only 12%-13% of the US population while non-Hispanic whites are ~ 70% of the population.
Thus blacks are < 20% the population of non-Hispanic Whites yet nearly 100% more unemployed in the less than high-school educational attainment level. So in reality Blacks are 9.5x (= 1.9 x 5) more likely to be unemployed in that educational category than non-Hispanic Whites.
Similarly at the other end of the educational attainment level, Blacks are ~4.5% unemployed, while Whites are 2.5% unemployed so that blacks are unemployed at 1.8 x that of whites. But again Blacks are only 20% of the non-Hispanic white population, so are 9x more likely to be unemployed even with 4 year and more degrees.
The probabilities of Blacks being unemployed relative to non-Hispanic whites is nearly constant and consistent across all levels of education between 9.5x & 9x .
Same education, thus same ability, yet lower paid and with 9.5x – 9x more unemployed than non-Hispanic whites.
I'd say that's a pretty strong indicator of the level of white racism against blacks in the US.
I think that classifies the US as a racist nation.
With a little work and a spreadsheet you can get the probabilities by State … I’d be surprised if it didn’t show strong State-State differences, as well as regionally.
Are recent immigrants more mobile than later generations?
Arne:
This: The Facts on Immigration Today: 2017 Edition may answer your question.
I wonder what explains the Asian superior employment metrics. Most be some kind of reverse racism mojo.