US unemployment fell in May—but not for Black people

US unemployment fell in May—but not for Black people

The US unemployment rate fell from 14.7% in April to 13.3%* in May, defying forecasts for another month of worsening jobs figures and lifting stocks. While the unemployment rate for white Americans dropped from 14.2% to 12.4%, the unemployment rate for Black Americans was roughly unchanged at 16.8%, matching the high set in 1984. The rate was higher for Black women than for Black men, at 16.2% versus 15.3%.