The unemployment rate for Black women stands at nearly 6%, marking the third consecutive month of high rates among the group — an alarming trend economists see as a warning sign for the broader economy.

The 19th, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data, reported that the unemployment rate for Black women increased from 5.1% in March to 6.1% in April, peaking at 6.2% in May before decreasing slightly to 5.8% in June.

In contrast, rates for white and Asian women stayed near 3%, and around 5% for Latinas. Most male subgroups experienced no change, except for Black men, whose rate increased from 5.2% in May to 6.9% in June.

Black women lost 38,000 jobs in April, more than any other demographic. Their unemployment increased by 106,000, AFROTECH™ previously reported.

This can be troubling, as Black women have the highest labor force participation of any female group, often working in essential sectors such as health care, education, and the federal government.

Jasmine Tucker, VP of research at the National Women’s Law Center, said the fact that Black women also face the longest periods of joblessness heightens the concern; in June, they remained unemployed for over six months on average.

“Are we heading into a recession? Is some action the current administration is going to take going to keep moving us in that direction? Prices remain high, people can’t afford child care — there are a whole host of things people are really nervous about,” Tucker told the 19th. “For me, Black women’s unemployment going up — this is the backbone of our economy, of our labor force. We have cause to be concerned.”

While structural racism, labor market inequities, and workforce discrimination all contribute to the unemployment rate among Black women, economists told The 19th that recent government job cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may have exacerbated the problem.

Between February and March, 266,000 Black women lost jobs, a 2.5% drop, the largest since mid-2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic started.

Black women make up 12% of federal workers — compared to 7% of civilian workers — and are overrepresented in agencies most affected by cuts, such as the U.S. departments of Education and Health and Human Services.

Based on orders from President Donald Trump, diversity, equity, and inclusion roles, heavily staffed by Black women, have also been targeted for elimination.

AFROTECH™ noted that Black women in federal jobs have declined by an estimated 33% over the past year, compared to a 3.7% decrease in the overall federal workforce.

“The unusual nature of this increase in Black women’s unemployment is a testament to and a direct result of the anti-DEI and anti-Black focus of the new administration’s policies,” William Michael Cunningham, an economist and owner of Creative Investment Research, told Black Enterprise. “This is demonstrably damaging to the Black community, something we have not seen before.”