Black Women in the Labor Force. Facts on Working Women No. 97-1.

Between 1986 and 1996, the number of black women aged 16 and over in the United States increased from 11 million to 13 million. Labor force participation for black women rose during that time from 56.9 percent to 60.4 percent. In 1996 the total labor force population of black women was 7.9 million. Of these, 80 percent worked full time. Black women continue to experience double-digit unemployment, with black teenagers four times more likely to be unemployed than older women. Black women are clustered in significant numbers only in the occupations of managerial and professional specialty; technical, sales, and administrative support; and service. More and more black women continue to enter the higher paying managerial and professional specialty occupations, such as registered nurses, teachers, social workers, and managers. In addition, many black women are becoming business owners. Twenty-five percent of black women had less than a high school education; 34 percent had a high school education; 19 percent, some college; 7 percent, associate degree; and 15 percent, college degree. Black women have made great progress in improving their economic status over the past decade, but they still earned less than similarly employed black men, white men, and white women. (KC)