Annual unemployment rate of whites and blacks (1963–2012 average) compared with average annual national unemployment rate during recessions since 1963
| Race | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 5.1% |
| Recession | 6.7% |
| Black | 11.6% |
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.