Job Cuts Threaten Black Women Most.

Experts warn surge in Black unemployment could spell economic trouble.

A month after Donald Trump made the unprecedented move of firing Erika McEntarfer, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the first jobs report under acting commissioner William Wiatrowski paints a bleak picture of the U.S. economy.

Yahoo Finance reports that the outlook for Black workers—both men and women—is now at its worst point since the pandemic, signaling broader trouble ahead. Unemployment for Black men has climbed to 7.1%, while the rate for Black women follows closely at 6.7%.

Tulane University economist Gary Hoover explained, “Unemployment rates among young people, Black workers—especially Black men—are often early warning signals of where the economy is headed in the coming months.”

As Hoover pointed out, the numbers for Black teenagers mirror the troubling trend among adult Black workers. Unemployment for Black teens aged 16 to 19 stands at a staggering 24.8%—more than triple the overall Black unemployment rate of 7.5% recorded in August.

Gbenga Ajilore, chief economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, described the Black unemployment rate as a “canary in the coal mine.” He warned that a steady rise often signals an economic downturn, noting that Black workers are frequently the first to lose their jobs and the last to be rehired in the U.S. labor market.

Black workers are also heavily represented in the federal government, which has faced major upheaval since Trump took office in January.

Dean noted, “Across the board, you’re seeing industries that employ large numbers of Black people either stagnating or declining.”

For Black women, the numbers reveal a troubling shift. Axios reported that in August, their unemployment rate rose to 7.5%—a sharp increase from 5.4% in January and higher than the 6.7% figure cited by Yahoo Finance. According to Andre Perry, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, these figures reflect multiple forces converging to undermine Black women’s standing in the job market.

Perry pointed to several forces behind the trend: “Layoffs at the federal level, where Black workers are heavily represented, the impact of tariffs on small businesses that employ Black women, and the backlash against DEI—which may be discouraging employers from hiring Black women—all of these factors are likely at play.”

Jessica Fulton, senior fellow at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, told Axios that while federal layoffs have disproportionately affected Black women, they aren’t the sole driver. “It’s a really large drop, and it can’t just be federal layoffs. Black unemployment rises faster and more sharply than for other groups whenever the economy begins to weaken,” she said.

Daniella Zessoules, in her analysis for Dēmos, emphasized the broader consequences: “Black women’s work is concentrated in sectors that are the backbone of our economy. When they win higher wages, stronger protections, and better working conditions, the benefits ripple outward. But when Black women are pushed out or excluded, it’s not a side issue—it’s a warning that our economic system is failing.”