DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING THE BLACK/WHITE UNEMPLOYMENT DIFFERENTIAL: 1950–1980

Introduction The civilian unemployment rate for the United States in 1950 was 4.25 per cent and had risen to 6.65 per cent by 1980. Although this number provides an average unemployment rate for the civilian labour force, it conceals the fact that there are large differences in unemployment rates for various demographic subgroups within the labour force. For example, in 1950 the unemployment rate for whites was 3.07 per cent whereas the rate for blacks was 6.24 per cent. Similarly, by 1980 the unemployment rate for blacks was 9.82 per cent, compared with only 4.74 per cent for whites.