Chart: Monthly Black-white unemployment rate ratio and Black-white percentage point difference in employment rates, 1972–2023

Monthly Black-white unemployment rate ratio and Black-white percentage point difference in employment rates, 1972–2023

Date	Black-white ratio	Black-white percentage point difference
Jan-1972	2.2	6
Feb-1972	2.2	6.1
Mar-1972	2.1	5.5
Apr-1972	1.8	4.5
May-1972	2.0	5.1
Jun-1972	2.0	5.1
Jul-1972	2.1	5.4
Aug-1972	2.1	5.5
Sep-1972	2.1	5.4
Oct-1972	2.1	5.5
Nov-1972	2.1	5.3
Dec-1972	2.0	4.8
Jan-1973	2.0	4.6
Feb-1973	2.1	5.0
Mar-1973	2.1	5.0
Apr-1973	2.2	5.4
May-1973	2.2	5.3
Jun-1973	2.3	5.5
Jul-1973	2.3	5.6
Aug-1973	2.1	4.9
Sep-1973	2.3	5.4
Oct-1973	2.1	4.7
Nov-1973	2.2	5.0
Dec-1973	2.0	4.6
Jan-1974	2.1	4.9
Feb-1974	2.1	5.2
Mar-1974	2.2	5.3
Apr-1974	2.1	5.0
May-1974	2.1	5.1
Jun-1974	2.1	5.3
Jul-1974	2.1	5.5
Aug-1974	2.0	4.9
Sep-1974	2.0	5.4
Oct-1974	2.1	6.1
Nov-1974	2.1	6.4
Dec-1974	2.0	6.7
Jan-1975	1.9	6.7
Feb-1975	1.9	7.0
Mar-1975	1.9	7.3
Apr-1975	1.9	7.3
May-1975	1.8	6.7
Jun-1975	1.9	6.9
Jul-1975	1.8	6.1
Aug-1975	2.0	7.5
Sep-1975	2.0	7.7
Oct-1975	1.9	7.2
Nov-1975	1.9	7.0
Dec-1975	2.0	7.1
Jan-1976	2.0	7.1
Feb-1976	2.1	7.5
Mar-1976	2.0	6.6
Apr-1976	2.0	6.9
May-1976	2.0	6.5
Jun-1976	2.1	7.4
Jul-1976	2.0	6.8
Aug-1976	2.0	7.2
Sep-1976	2.0	6.7
Oct-1976	2.0	6.9
Nov-1976	2.0	6.9
Dec-1976	2.0	7.1
Jan-1977	2.0	7.0
Feb-1977	2.1	7.3
Mar-1977	2.1	7.2
Apr-1977	2.0	6.4
May-1977	2.1	7.2
Jun-1977	2.2	7.5
Jul-1977	2.3	7.9
Aug-1977	2.5	9.1
Sep-1977	2.4	8.5
Oct-1977	2.5	8.6
Nov-1977	2.5	8.9
Dec-1977	2.5	8.1
Jan-1978	2.5	8.4
Feb-1978	2.4	7.6
Mar-1978	2.4	7.7
Apr-1978	2.4	7.6
May-1978	2.5	7.8
Jun-1978	2.6	7.8
Jul-1978	2.5	7.7
Aug-1978	2.4	7.2
Sep-1978	2.3	6.7
Oct-1978	2.4	6.8
Nov-1978	2.5	7.7
Dec-1978	2.4	7.2
Jan-1979	2.4	7.3
Feb-1979	2.6	8.0
Mar-1979	2.5	7.4
Apr-1979	2.6	7.9
May-1979	2.6	7.6
Jun-1979	2.5	7.3
Jul-1979	2.5	7.2
Aug-1979	2.3	7.1
Sep-1979	2.3	6.5
Oct-1979	2.4	7.1
Nov-1979	2.3	6.7
Dec-1979	2.3	7.0
Jan-1980	2.4	7.5
Feb-1980	2.3	7.4
Mar-1980	2.3	7.3
Apr-1980	2.3	7.7
May-1980	2.2	7.8
Jun-1980	2.2	7.9
Jul-1980	2.2	8.4
Aug-1980	2.1	7.7
Sep-1980	2.2	8.2
Oct-1980	2.3	8.5
Nov-1980	2.3	8.6
Dec-1980	2.4	8.7
Jan-1981	2.2	7.9
Feb-1981	2.2	8.1
Mar-1981	2.3	8.6
Apr-1981	2.3	8.3
May-1981	2.2	8.2
Jun-1981	2.4	9.2
Jul-1981	2.4	8.7
Aug-1981	2.6	10.0
Sep-1981	2.4	9.3
Oct-1981	2.4	9.8
Nov-1981	2.3	9.5
Dec-1981	2.3	9.7
Jan-1982	2.3	9.7
Feb-1982	2.3	9.9
Mar-1982	2.3	10.1
Apr-1982	2.2	9.9
May-1982	2.3	10.3
Jun-1982	2.2	10.0
Jul-1982	2.2	10.1
Aug-1982	2.2	10.2
Sep-1982	2.2	10.7
Oct-1982	2.2	10.9
Nov-1982	2.1	10.6
Dec-1982	2.2	11.2
Jan-1983	2.3	12.1
Feb-1983	2.1	10.6
Mar-1983	2.2	11.0
Apr-1983	2.3	11.5
May-1983	2.3	11.5
Jun-1983	2.4	12.0
Jul-1983	2.4	11.2
Aug-1983	2.4	11.5
Sep-1983	2.4	10.8
Oct-1983	2.4	10.5
Nov-1983	2.4	10.1
Dec-1983	2.5	10.7
Jan-1984	2.5	10.4
Feb-1984	2.4	9.4
Mar-1984	2.5	9.9
Apr-1984	2.5	9.8
May-1984	2.5	9.3
Jun-1984	2.5	9.4
Jul-1984	2.7	10.4
Aug-1984	2.5	9.6
Sep-1984	2.3	8.6
Oct-1984	2.4	9.0
Nov-1984	2.4	8.8
Dec-1984	2.4	8.9
Jan-1985	2.4	8.9
Feb-1985	2.5	9.6
Mar-1985	2.4	8.9
Apr-1985	2.4	8.8
May-1985	2.5	9.0
Jun-1985	2.2	7.9
Jul-1985	2.4	8.8
Aug-1985	2.3	8.1
Sep-1985	2.5	9.1
Oct-1985	2.5	8.9
Nov-1985	2.6	9.7
Dec-1985	2.5	9.0
Jan-1986	2.5	8.8
Feb-1986	2.3	8.1
Mar-1986	2.4	8.4
Apr-1986	2.4	8.7
May-1986	2.4	8.4
Jun-1986	2.4	8.9
Jul-1986	2.4	8.3
Aug-1986	2.5	8.9
Sep-1986	2.5	8.9
Oct-1986	2.4	8.6
Nov-1986	2.4	8.3
Dec-1986	2.4	7.9
Jan-1987	2.5	8.3
Feb-1987	2.4	8.1
Mar-1987	2.4	8.1
Apr-1987	2.4	7.5
May-1987	2.5	8.2
Jun-1987	2.4	7.5
Jul-1987	2.5	7.7
Aug-1987	2.5	7.5
Sep-1987	2.5	7.5
Oct-1987	2.4	7.1
Nov-1987	2.4	7.1
Dec-1987	2.5	7.2
Jan-1988	2.4	7.0
Feb-1988	2.5	7.5
Mar-1988	2.6	7.9
Apr-1988	2.7	7.6
May-1988	2.6	7.6
Jun-1988	2.5	6.9
Jul-1988	2.5	6.9
Aug-1988	2.4	6.6
Sep-1988	2.3	6.2
Oct-1988	2.4	6.4
Nov-1988	2.4	6.4
Dec-1988	2.5	6.7
Jan-1989	2.6	7.2
Feb-1989	2.8	7.6
Mar-1989	2.6	6.9
Apr-1989	2.5	6.6
May-1989	2.5	6.8
Jun-1989	2.6	7.2
Jul-1989	2.4	6.5
Aug-1989	2.5	6.6
Sep-1989	2.6	7.2
Oct-1989	2.6	7.2
Nov-1989	2.5	7.1
Dec-1989	2.5	7.0
Jan-1990	2.4	6.5
Feb-1990	2.4	6.4
Mar-1990	2.4	6.4
Apr-1990	2.3	6.0
May-1990	2.3	6.0
Jun-1990	2.3	6.0
Jul-1990	2.4	6.7
Aug-1990	2.4	6.8
Sep-1990	2.4	7.1
Oct-1990	2.4	7.0
Nov-1990	2.3	7.1
Dec-1990	2.3	7.0
Jan-1991	2.1	6.3
Feb-1991	2.1	6.4
Mar-1991	2.1	6.5
Apr-1991	2.2	6.8
May-1991	2.1	6.7
Jun-1991	2.0	6.3
Jul-1991	1.9	5.7
Aug-1991	2.0	6.2
Sep-1991	2.0	6.1
Oct-1991	2.1	7.1
Nov-1991	2.0	6.2
Dec-1991	2.0	6.4
Jan-1992	2.1	7.1
Feb-1992	2.2	7.7
Mar-1992	2.2	7.6
Apr-1992	2.2	7.6
May-1992	2.2	8.1
Jun-1992	2.1	7.7
Jul-1992	2.1	7.7
Aug-1992	2.1	7.5
Sep-1992	2.1	7.2
Oct-1992	2.2	7.8
Nov-1992	2.2	7.6
Dec-1992	2.2	7.8
Jan-1993	2.2	7.8
Feb-1993	2.2	7.3
Mar-1993	2.2	7.6
Apr-1993	2.3	7.9
May-1993	2.1	6.9
Jun-1993	2.2	7.2
Jul-1993	2.1	6.6
Aug-1993	2.1	6.3
Sep-1993	2.1	6.6
Oct-1993	1.9	5.6
Nov-1993	2.2	6.9
Dec-1993	2.0	5.9
Jan-1994	2.3	7.4
Feb-1994	2.2	7.1
Mar-1994	2.2	6.7
Apr-1994	2.1	6.3
May-1994	2.3	6.5
Jun-1994	2.1	6.0
Jul-1994	2.1	5.6
Aug-1994	2.2	6.0
Sep-1994	2.1	5.5
Oct-1994	2.3	6.3
Nov-1994	2.3	6.0
Dec-1994	2.1	5.1
Jan-1995	2.1	5.5
Feb-1995	2.1	5.4
Mar-1995	2.1	5.0
Apr-1995	2.1	5.7
May-1995	2.0	5.0
Jun-1995	2.2	5.8
Jul-1995	2.2	6.0
Aug-1995	2.3	6.2
Sep-1995	2.3	6.2
Oct-1995	2.0	5.1
Nov-1995	1.9	4.7
Dec-1995	2.1	5.3
Jan-1996	2.2	5.7
Feb-1996	2.1	5.2
Mar-1996	2.2	5.8
Apr-1996	2.2	5.9
May-1996	2.1	5.3
Jun-1996	2.3	5.8
Jul-1996	2.3	5.9
Aug-1996	2.4	6.2
Sep-1996	2.4	6.1
Oct-1996	2.4	6.2
Nov-1996	2.3	6.0
Dec-1996	2.3	5.9
Jan-1997	2.4	6.3
Feb-1997	2.4	6.2
Mar-1997	2.4	6.1
Apr-1997	2.4	5.9
May-1997	2.5	6.2
Jun-1997	2.6	6.6
Jul-1997	2.3	5.3
Aug-1997	2.2	5.2
Sep-1997	2.3	5.3
Oct-1997	2.3	5.4
Nov-1997	2.4	5.6
Dec-1997	2.6	6.1
Jan-1998	2.4	5.4
Feb-1998	2.4	5.4
Mar-1998	2.3	5.2
Apr-1998	2.5	5.4
May-1998	2.3	5.1
Jun-1998	2.3	4.9
Jul-1998	2.5	5.7
Aug-1998	2.3	4.9
Sep-1998	2.3	5.2
Oct-1998	2.2	4.7
Nov-1998	2.3	4.8
Dec-1998	2.0	3.9
Jan-1999	2.1	4.0
Feb-1999	2.2	4.4
Mar-1999	2.2	4.4
Apr-1999	2.1	4.0
May-1999	2.0	3.7
Jun-1999	2.0	3.9
Jul-1999	2.4	5.0
Aug-1999	2.1	4.0
Sep-1999	2.4	4.9
Oct-1999	2.4	4.9
Nov-1999	2.3	4.5
Dec-1999	2.2	4.3
Jan-2000	2.4	4.8
Feb-2000	2.3	4.5
Mar-2000	2.1	3.9
Apr-2000	2.1	3.6
May-2000	2.2	4.2
Jun-2000	2.3	4.4
Jul-2000	2.2	4.2
Aug-2000	2.2	4.3
Sep-2000	2.1	3.8
Oct-2000	2.1	3.9
Nov-2000	2.1	3.8
Dec-2000	2.1	3.9
Jan-2001	2.3	4.6
Feb-2001	2.1	4.0
Mar-2001	2.2	4.6
Apr-2001	2.1	4.1
May-2001	2.1	4.1
Jun-2001	2.1	4.3
Jul-2001	2.0	4.0
Aug-2001	2.1	4.8
Sep-2001	2.1	4.6
Oct-2001	2.0	4.8
Nov-2001	2.0	4.9
Dec-2001	2.0	5.0
Jan-2002	2.0	4.9
Feb-2002	2.0	4.9
Mar-2002	2.1	5.5
Apr-2002	2.1	5.5
May-2002	2.0	5.1
Jun-2002	2.1	5.4
Jul-2002	1.9	4.6
Aug-2002	1.9	4.7
Sep-2002	1.9	4.6
Oct-2002	1.9	4.7
Nov-2002	2.1	5.6
Dec-2002	2.2	6.2
Jan-2003	2.0	5.3
Feb-2003	2.1	5.6
Mar-2003	2.0	5.2
Apr-2003	2.1	5.6
May-2003	2.0	5.5
Jun-2003	2.1	6.0
Jul-2003	2.0	5.5
Aug-2003	2.0	5.5
Sep-2003	2.1	5.8
Oct-2003	2.2	6.3
Nov-2003	2.0	5.0
Dec-2003	2.0	5.1
Jan-2004	2.1	5.4
Feb-2004	2.0	4.8
Mar-2004	2.0	5.2
Apr-2004	2.0	4.8
May-2004	2.1	5.2
Jun-2004	2.0	5.2
Jul-2004	2.3	6.3
Aug-2004	2.2	5.8
Sep-2004	2.2	5.7
Oct-2004	2.3	6.2
Nov-2004	2.3	6.1
Dec-2004	2.4	6.2
Jan-2005	2.4	6.1
Feb-2005	2.4	6.3
Mar-2005	2.3	6.0
Apr-2005	2.3	5.9
May-2005	2.3	5.7
Jun-2005	2.4	5.9
Jul-2005	2.2	5.0
Aug-2005	2.3	5.5
Sep-2005	2.1	5.0
Oct-2005	2.1	4.7
Nov-2005	2.5	6.3
Dec-2005	2.2	5.0
Jan-2006	2.2	4.8
Feb-2006	2.3	5.4
Mar-2006	2.4	5.5
Apr-2006	2.3	5.3
May-2006	2.1	4.6
Jun-2006	2.2	4.8
Jul-2006	2.3	5.4
Aug-2006	2.1	4.7
Sep-2006	2.3	5.1
Oct-2006	2.2	4.5
Nov-2006	2.1	4.5
Dec-2006	2.1	4.4
Jan-2007	1.9	3.7
Feb-2007	2.0	3.9
Mar-2007	2.2	4.6
Apr-2007	2.1	4.3
May-2007	2.1	4.4
Jun-2007	2.1	4.4
Jul-2007	1.9	3.9
Aug-2007	1.8	3.4
Sep-2007	1.9	3.8
Oct-2007	2.1	4.4
Nov-2007	2.0	4.3
Dec-2007	2.0	4.6
Jan-2008	2.1	4.7
Feb-2008	1.9	4.0
Mar-2008	2.0	4.7
Apr-2008	2.0	4.2
May-2008	2.0	4.8
Jun-2008	1.9	4.4
Jul-2008	1.9	4.8
Aug-2008	2.0	5.2
Sep-2008	2.1	5.9
Oct-2008	1.9	5.5
Nov-2008	1.9	5.3
Dec-2008	1.8	5.4
Jan-2009	1.8	5.6
Feb-2009	1.8	6.1
Mar-2009	1.7	5.7
Apr-2009	1.9	6.9
May-2009	1.8	6.5
Jun-2009	1.7	6.1
Jul-2009	1.7	6.1
Aug-2009	1.7	5.9
Sep-2009	1.7	6.4
Oct-2009	1.7	6.6
Nov-2009	1.7	6.5
Dec-2009	1.8	7.1
Jan-2010	1.9	7.7
Feb-2010	1.8	7.2
Mar-2010	1.9	7.9
Apr-2010	1.8	7.6
May-2010	1.8	6.8
Jun-2010	1.8	6.6
Jul-2010	1.8	7.1
Aug-2010	1.8	7.3
Sep-2010	1.9	7.4
Oct-2010	1.8	7.0
Nov-2010	1.8	7.3
Dec-2010	1.8	7.0
Jan-2011	2.0	7.7
Feb-2011	1.9	7.4
Mar-2011	2.0	7.8
Apr-2011	2.0	8.4
May-2011	2.1	8.4
Jun-2011	2.0	8.1
Jul-2011	2.0	7.9
Aug-2011	2.1	8.5
Sep-2011	2.0	8.0
Oct-2011	1.8	6.7
Nov-2011	2.0	7.9
Dec-2011	2.1	7.9
Jan-2012	1.8	6.2
Feb-2012	1.9	6.6
Mar-2012	1.9	6.7
Apr-2012	1.8	5.9
May-2012	1.8	6.1
Jun-2012	2.0	7.2
Jul-2012	1.9	6.9
Aug-2012	1.9	6.6
Sep-2012	1.9	6.6
Oct-2012	2.0	7.2
Nov-2012	2.0	6.5
Dec-2012	2.0	7.1
Jan-2013	1.9	6.6
Feb-2013	2.0	7.0
Mar-2013	1.9	6.3
Apr-2013	2.0	6.6
May-2013	2.0	6.7
Jun-2013	2.2	7.6
Jul-2013	1.9	6.1
Aug-2013	2.0	6.4
Sep-2013	2.1	6.7
Oct-2013	2.0	6.5
Nov-2013	2.0	6.2
Dec-2013	2.0	6.0
Jan-2014	2.1	6.4
Feb-2014	2.0	6.0
Mar-2014	2.1	6.3
Apr-2014	2.2	6.3
May-2014	2.1	6.0
Jun-2014	2.1	5.7
Jul-2014	2.2	6.3
Aug-2014	2.2	6.1
Sep-2014	2.2	5.9
Oct-2014	2.2	5.7
Nov-2014	2.2	5.9
Dec-2014	2.3	5.9
Jan-2015	2.1	5.4
Feb-2015	2.1	5.4
Mar-2015	2.1	5.1
Apr-2015	2.1	5.0
May-2015	2.1	5.5
Jun-2015	2.1	5.1
Jul-2015	2.0	4.6
Aug-2015	2.1	5.0
Sep-2015	2.1	4.9
Oct-2015	2.0	4.6
Nov-2015	2.1	5.0
Dec-2015	1.9	4.1
Jan-2016	2.0	4.3
Feb-2016	2.0	4.4
Mar-2016	2.1	4.6
Apr-2016	2.0	4.4
May-2016	2.0	4.0
Jun-2016	2.0	4.4
Jul-2016	2.0	4.0
Aug-2016	1.8	3.6
Sep-2016	1.9	4.1
Oct-2016	1.9	4.1
Nov-2016	2.0	4.0
Dec-2016	1.9	3.8
Jan-2017	1.8	3.3
Feb-2017	2.0	4.0
Mar-2017	2.1	4.0
Apr-2017	2.0	3.8
May-2017	2.1	4.0
Jun-2017	1.8	3.1
Jul-2017	1.9	3.5
Aug-2017	2.0	3.8
Sep-2017	1.9	3.5
Oct-2017	2.1	4.0
Nov-2017	2.0	3.8
Dec-2017	1.8	3.0
Jan-2018	2.1	4.0
Feb-2018	1.9	3.2
Mar-2018	1.9	3.2
Apr-2018	1.8	2.8
May-2018	1.7	2.4
Jun-2018	1.8	2.9
Jul-2018	1.9	3.1
Aug-2018	1.9	2.9
Sep-2018	1.8	2.8
Oct-2018	1.9	3.1
Nov-2018	1.8	2.7
Dec-2018	1.9	3.1
Jan-2019	2.0	3.4
Feb-2019	2.2	3.9
Mar-2019	2.0	3.2
Apr-2019	2.0	3.3
May-2019	1.9	2.9
Jun-2019	1.8	2.6
Jul-2019	1.8	2.5
Aug-2019	1.6	1.9
Sep-2019	1.7	2.2
Oct-2019	1.7	2.3
Nov-2019	1.8	2.4
Dec-2019	1.9	2.8
Jan-2020	2.0	3.2
Feb-2020	2.0	3.0
Mar-2020	1.7	2.9
Apr-2020	1.2	2.5
May-2020	1.4	4.5
Jun-2020	1.5	5.4
Jul-2020	1.6	5.2
Aug-2020	1.7	5.4
Sep-2020	1.7	5.1
Oct-2020	1.8	4.9
Nov-2020	1.8	4.5
Dec-2020	1.6	3.9
Jan-2021	1.6	3.5
Feb-2021	1.8	4.2
Mar-2021	1.8	4.2
Apr-2021	1.9	4.6
May-2021	1.8	4.0
Jun-2021	1.8	4.0
Jul-2021	1.7	3.4
Aug-2021	1.9	4.1
Sep-2021	1.9	3.6
Oct-2021	1.9	3.7
Nov-2021	1.8	2.8
Dec-2021	2.1	3.7
Jan-2022	2.0	3.5
Feb-2022	2.0	3.3
Mar-2022	1.9	3.0
Apr-2022	1.8	2.7
May-2022	1.9	3.0
Jun-2022	1.8	2.6
Jul-2022	1.9	2.9
Aug-2022	2.0	3.2
Sep-2022	1.9	2.8
Oct-2022	1.8	2.6
Nov-2022	1.7	2.4
Dec-2022	1.9	2.7
Jan-2023	1.7	2.3
Feb-2023	1.8	2.5
Mar-2023	1.6	1.8
Apr-2023	1.5	1.6
May-2023	1.7	2.3
Jun-2023	1.9	2.9
Jul-2023	1.9	2.7

Sources: Author analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey, Monthly Unemployed Rate by Race and Ethnicity data series LNS14000003 and LNS14000006, retrieved from FRED.

View the underlying data on epi.org.