AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., stands beneath a bust of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., as members of the Congressional Black Caucus gather for the memorial ceremony for the late Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019.
- Employment and educational opportunities have increased for the US black population over the past few decades.
- However, data shows there is still wide inequality between the black and white populations.
- We put together 11 charts that highlight changes in the social and economic status of black Americans over time, including the unemployment rate, college attainment, and overall household wealth.
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February is Black History Month, when Americans celebrate the achievements of well-known black figures and the progress that has been made so far for the US black population.
There have been improvements in different areas of living (such as black employment and earnings) since the 1960s, when many of the government tools tracking racial disparities were launched. For example, the number of black students earning a college degree has risen dramatically in the last several decades.
Still, inequality persists. For instance, change in overall household wealth has been minimal for black families compared to their white neighbors.
The following 11 charts show just how much progress has been made over time in terms of earnings, employment, education, and politics - and how far we have left to go.