Figure C

Ratio of black to white unemployment rate, 1963–2012

Year Ratio
1963 2.180
1964 2.130
1965 2.075
1966 2.333
1967 2.176
1968 2.094
1969 2.065
1970 1.822
1971 1.833
1972 2.039
1973 2.186
1974 2.100
1975 1.897
1976 2.000
1977 2.258
1978 2.462
1979 2.509
1980 2.368
1981 2.451
1982 2.317
1983 2.447
1984 2.596
1985 2.602
1986 2.566
1987 2.584
1988 2.687
1989 2.745
1990 2.563
1991 2.214
1992 2.334
1993 2.339
1994 2.387
1995 2.362
1996 2.509
1997 2.653
1998 2.596
1999 2.417
2000 2.420
2001 2.285
2002 2.162
2003 2.222
2004 2.318
2005 2.445
2006 2.341
2007 2.151
2008 2.118
2009 1.887
2010 1.990
2011 2.190
2012 2.119

Note: White and black data before 1979 include Hispanics.

Source: Data from 1963 to 1966 come from the Statistical Abstract of the United States (U.S. Census Bureau 1968); “black” is "nonwhite" data. Data from 1967 to 1971 come from the Statistical Abstract of the United States (U.S. Census Bureau 1973); “black” is "Negro and other" data. Data from 1972 to 1978 come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey public data series. Data after 1978 are based on the author's analysis of basic monthly Current Population Survey microdata.

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