Unemployment rate by race, 1972–2019

B-W ratio Black White
1972 2 10.4% 5.1%
1973 2.2 9.4 4.3
1974 2.1 10.5 5
1975 1.9 14.8 7.8
1976 2 14 7
1977 2.3 14 6.2
1978 2.5 12.8 5.2
1979 2.4 12.3 5.1
1980 2.3 14.3 6.3
1981 2.3 15.6 6.7
1982 2.2 18.9 8.6
1983 2.3 19.5 8.4
1984 2.4 15.9 6.5
1985 2.4 15.1 6.2
1986 2.4 14.5 6
1987 2.5 13 5.3
1988 2.5 11.7 4.7
1989 2.5 11.4 4.5
1990 2.4 11.4 4.8
1991 2 12.5 6.1
1992 2.2 14.2 6.6
1993 2.1 13 6.1
1994 2.2 11.5 5.3
1995 2.1 10.4 4.9
1996 2.2 10.5 4.7
1997 2.4 10 4.2
1998 2.3 8.9 3.9
1999 2.2 8 3.7
2000 2.2 7.6 3.5
2001 2 8.6 4.2
2002 2 10.2 5.1
2003 2.1 10.8 5.2
2004 2.2 10.4 4.8
2005 2.3 10 4.4
2006 2.2 8.9 4
2007 2 8.3 4.1
2008 1.9 10.1 5.2
2009 1.7 14.8 8.5
2010 1.8 16 8.7
2011 2 15.8 7.9
2012 1.9 13.8 7.2
2013 2 13.1 6.5
2014 2.1 11.3 5.3
2015 2.1 9.6 4.6
2016 2 8.4 4.3
2017 2 7.5 3.8
2018 1.9 6.5 3.5
2019 2 6.1 3

Note: Black and white are both non-Hispanic.

Source: 1972–2019 series by race & ethnicity, EPI analysis of monthly CPS microdata, downloaded from EPI SWA Data Library.

View the underlying data on epi.org.