Economists Discuss How Recession Affects African Americans
Monday, November 02 2009
by Leoneda Inge
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A group of economists and other scholars are gathering in the Triangle to discuss how the recession has affected African Americans.
William Darity heads Duke's Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality. He says he helped organize the African American Economic Summit because of how blacks have disproportionately suffered during the down turn. "If we look at the estimated national numbers for the unemployment rate in the United States - that's close to about 10 percent," says Darity. "But, it's in the vicinity of 17 percent for African Americans. Those are the estimates that we've been given."
Darity says these economic times call for a federal job guarantee for all people, such as the one put in place during the Great Depression.
Scholars met at UNC-Chapel Hill yesterday and will gather at Duke University today to brainstorm and draft policy recommendations.
