Unemployment numbers don't tell the whole story, according to this article unemployment is at 9.5%; however these numbers don't reflect real unemployment. The 9.5% calculation only reflects individuals on the roles of unemployment, real unemployment includes individuals who are under employed, not receiving unemployment, individuals who do not qualify for unemployment and individuals who have stopped looking for work. Calculating unemployment is no easy task, as there is no easy way to measure and count individuals who are chronically underemployed, self-employed (but income has dropped off a cliff), or have gone back to school in the hopes of improving their worth in the employment market.
U-6 statistics published by Joint Economic Committee present a more realistic picture of unemployment. According to this group unemployment in May was closer to 16%, almost double the rates published by the labor department. When we look at African American real unemployment figures the numbers are startling and concerning as the African American real rate of unemployment is 22.1%. If we drill down into the numbers, we find that nearly 20% of African Americans are unemployed or underemployed, African American males with college degrees have an unemployment rate of 8.2% compared to similar white males who stand at 4.5%.
While African Americans have made strides in closing the equality gap in terms of wages and breaking the glass ceiling, there still appears to be a systematic problem when it comes to employment. However, I don't think this gives African Americans an excuse to say the man has is holding them down, cause their has never been a better time in the history of this country for African Americans to improve their economic condition, through education, employment opportunities and entrepreneurship.
As a group African Americans need to start exercising their economic power through supporting "Black Owned Businesses", employing African Americans, and supporting businesses that are committed to diversity. The fact is that in a consumer driven society/economy the only thing that talks is greenbacks, so speak loudly with your dollars, if you want to see equality in employment.
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