Black women’s unemployment rate fell. That’s not the good news you think it is

The unemployment rate for Black women decreased from 7.07% to 5.73% between March and July 2026, but this decline reflects fewer Black women in the labor force (a drop of 387,000) and a rise in those not in the labor force (454,000 increase), not improved employment. In contrast, Black men’s unemployment rate fell alongside stable labor force participation and increased employment.