Only One In Four Young Black Men In New York Have A Job: Study

A new study paints a bleak portrait of the unemployment landscape faced by young black men in New York City.

The headline of the report, filed by the Community Service Society of New York reads, "Only One in Four Young Black Men in New York City Have a Job."

The study finds that the unemployment rate for African-American men in New York, between the ages of 16 and 24, was 33.5 percent from January 2009 through June 2010.

By comparison, the jobless rate amongst all New Yorkers in that age range was 24.6 percent.

But the real startling figure is that employment-population ratio, the percentage of working-age population who have a job, for young black men decreased from 29% in 2006-2007 to 25% in 2009-2010, meaning that one in four black men were employed. For those without a high school diploma, the numbers spiked alarmingly -- this group's unemployment rate was 52%, with 86% percent of these men out of the labor force (essentially that 1 in 10 were employed in 2009-2010).

From the New York Times:

"The recession has created a landscape of the unemployed and underemployed with particular catastrophic consequences for young African-American men," said David R. Jones, president of the Community Service Society, an advocacy group for New York's low-income residents. "Now young black men between 16 and 24 years have become the banner of hopelessness, particularly here in New York City."

The Times also notes that close to 40 percent of black New Yorkers who had held a job previously were unemployed for more than 12 months during the recession and early part of the recovery. That compared with 24 percent for whites, 27 percent for Latinos and 26 percent for Asians.

Comments

[greekdish]

11:31 AM on 01/12/2011

Is this really news?? This isnt a black or white issue....when our youth go to interviews with their pants hanging off their rears and their underwear is showing, of course they arent going to get hired. When our youth stops dressing like thugs and gangstas, they will have a better chance of getting a job. Not to mention, our youth needs to stop being lazy and playing xbox or ps3's all day and go do minimum wage work. There are plenty of those jobs out there.

[DC Gorilla fighter]

04:03 AM on 12/21/2010

Well if you included drug dealin, pimpin and fornicatin as jobs then you would have 100% employment for young black men in New York.

[Joseph Bethea]

04:44 PM on 12/20/2010

Interesting how Obama came out and said that this bill was good for the African American community when the unemployment rate is 15% maybe higher what african american community is he talking about the one he never lived in

[Yikes11]

07:36 PM on 12/17/2010

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[Yikes11]

07:35 PM on 12/17/2010

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[Not-AnEven-Playing Field]

03:21 AM on 12/15/2010

This is not just a black issue lets bypass the color of our skin and realize that many Americans need help. It takes help people. I can finish 8 degrees but if noone helps me get in where i fit in, do i blame myself? Do you want to help or continue the downward spiral? No one can get anywhere if that next person isn't willing to welcome them with welcome arms while being genuine, compassionate and interested in the well being of others.

[Not-AnEven-Playing Field]

03:06 AM on 12/15/2010

My brothers and sisters "Love Is On The Way." Continue to open doors for yourself in the form of education. If you don't get your education out the way you can't go for the other professional opportunities. But please beware the system is a catch 22 because say you want to study Information Technology. Once you complete your degree (and I believe that you can do it, I did, have you considered studying networking) they will tell you that you have no experience. Why did you go to school? To have better opportunities correct? Now you want to put again up the detour sign towards progess. We are damned if we do and damned if we don't but at least if you finish your education you will have an opportunity. I suggest you look into all avenues, become an electrician, painter, HVAC as well as getting into COACHING. What I don't want is for you not to position yourself to become successful as the world turns. The devil is working overtime because his time is running out. Love is on the way, just be prepared for that glorious day my brothers and sisters of God. All people can be great

[Not-AnEven-Playing Field]

02:31 AM on 12/15/2010

Lets not make an excuse here as being African American is my faith. I think that now that Obama is president that A/A are being held to an even higher standard. I can guarantee you that if I were white I would already of been given that 66k right out of school. Why is it that when I go for a job looking for new graduates I get a letter stating that at this time bullcrap. I once applied for like 15-20 jobs with Allstate to get 20 of the same automated responses. Some people might say that A/A are lazy but I beg to differ. I'm the modern miracle as I have done what I needed to do in order to get somewhere. I have to be motivated I have 2 kids 12 and 8 who look up to day. My son wrote me a note that said "When daddy becomes a star, I will be proud! So So Proud. I will be your son forever. I'm not leaving you, nobody in this house is." Why is this great country picking and choosing. Why are the people in these positions still in such positions. We need justice in America. We have hiring practices that hide behind EOE. Its just a way to weed you out and if you don't answer then it's as if you have something to hide. Well I'm no longer hiding I will continue to pursue the life that I envision

[greekdish]

11:33 AM on 01/12/2011

You need to get yourself your own blog and go rant somewhere else. All you are doing is making excuses.

[Not-AnEven-Playing Field]

02:17 AM on 12/15/2010

What can I do, Xmas around the corner. I tell my little son and daugther that they have to be the best at everything they do because this is a world of injustice. Face it the white man wants the black man to be inferior. We educate ourselves then they put another roadblock in the way of success. You do everything that you have to do, (finish degree, get higher degree) then come away with more excuses. An aunt of mine told me that I should write a book. Why is it that if I had no education I could get a customer service job (be told what to do, controlled) But when you want to step from commercial to professional the buck stops here. Why is it that you only care about yourself whitey? Everytime that you turn me away the lord see's your shame because your intentions are not good. This is why we are all suffering today as the bad management practices continue. You know that I was the right man for the job but you failed to do the right thing. What is funny is how you wear your position with pride, you go to the bars and drink and become proud offering your drinking mates help. You will say don't worry Rob, I have a job for you, don't worry you don't have an IT degree, I have your back you're my Pal. Put an end to being the devils advocate

[Not-AnEven-Playing Field]

02:08 AM on 12/15/2010

My Grandfather told me that I would have to be careful because all my education would intimidate people (The White Man) because they would think that I wanted their job. Let's get this straight, I come for a job because I need a job. I had an interview with this company named Medix and lets say that the recruiters name was (Billy) Well Billy truly wasnt wanting to help me. I could tell, he didn't even give me a courtesy call or reply. I had to threaten him by saying that I would go to corporate and you better believe I received another reason not to hire me. Well this time it was because the company didnt want to receive anymore resumes (another flat out lie, you just didn't want to help me because I came ready to be successful and you don't want the black man to be the man, keep us in the shambles with your excuses right." I have to speak on the behalf of black men because the numbers are startling and I'm facing the same ridiculous misrepresentation of the truth. I never get a call back because I fill out the EOE crap (way to weed out the color). Been unemployed for 2 years and can't even get a help desk position. Did I mention that I have a Masters. I can't get in my field for nothing because people are playing God for a fool. Waiting for your buddy to come in eh

[Not-AnEven-Playing Field]

01:59 AM on 12/15/2010

Is this not America, didn't Lincoln stand 4 equality. I felt that I needed education being a A/A my family stressed education and I hear that, "if you don't have an education then you are stuck." Well now I have an education and I can't get anywhere with it. Haven't you heard it before, "you need experience." Well experience THIS. How many times have I put on my best suit to try to get that position but only hearing an excuse to why I can't be hired. AT&T has this Matrex program, I tried to get a job there had an interview answered all their questioning except one about SQL as my recruiter Chad stated that they aren't looking for Mr.Knowitall. 2 days later I get an email from this huge Mega Company AT&T stating that there is a hiring freeze, (no its because I'm black)
I currently have a Bachelors Degree in Software Systems Engineering and a Masters Degree in Information Systems Security. What happens is when I go for a job, it's like I spook the recruiters or something. Isn't there any other black IT professionals these days landing jobs? I can tell that these companies don't want me because I'm black. What is wrong with the America today, Im sorry that maybe someone before me has made you feel hastily about AFRICAN AMERICANS but we want success just like you you just dont want to share the pie.

[clyde3219]

01:45 AM on 12/14/2010

Someone needs to take a math course. If the unemployment rate is 33 percent, that means six out of ten are employed, not one out of four.

[greekdish]

11:34 AM on 01/12/2011

LOL.

What math course teaches you how to fail??

33% is 1 out of 3.

[lovbug]

01:34 AM on 12/14/2010

This is not just about black and white. Hispanic men (even illegals) are being hired over black american men, even if the hispanic men have no proven high school diploma, ged, etc. It's a dang shame.

[Not-AnEven-Playing Field]

02:33 AM on 12/15/2010

it has been proven, take a black man with a perfect record and education verus a white man no education and bad record, who does the company hire?

[dimplesmile7]

07:38 AM on 12/18/2010

A white person with a criminal record can get a job over a black with a clean background.

[greekdish]

11:36 AM on 01/12/2011

Link to this proof?? I call BS.

[tbone99]

01:34 AM on 12/14/2010

Obama was the foil to prove that blacks can get ahead and that we are post racist .
Wonderful strategy to mute the truth of black economic inequality and justify the end of racial justice

[Mandles99]

10:31 PM on 12/14/2010

Tim Wise wrote an excellent book about this called " Between Barack and a Hard Place."

[drbslurp]

01:57 PM on 12/23/2010

Or - it's true and folks are still looking for an excuse - any excuse - for their own failure.

[kenmei]

12:39 AM on 12/14/2010

They need to close the gap between the working poor and the middle class. Instead of extending unemployment, take that money and fund a minimum wage increase to $11/hour, so then minimum wage job earners actually make more than the unemployed, and the unemployed don't pass up on minimum wage jobs they know if they take will put them in more dire straits than they already are.
Those that say it can't be done simply want to create a country with 2 classes. In reality, the more the minimum wage is, the more people will fill the jobs, the more money goes back into the economy.

[lovbug]

01:26 AM on 12/14/2010

I agree about the minimum wage.

[tbone99]

01:50 AM on 12/14/2010

The whole point of this unemployment depression is to reset the minimum wage to compete with Chinese and Indian workers