The other side of black female-headed families: the status of adult black men.

It is hypothesized that the increase in black-female headed families is linked to startling trends in the economic and social status of black men as well as black women. The plight of black men is the other side of the increase in single-parent black families and the economic status of black men is deteriorating. When unemployment stood at 7.5% in 1984 in the US unemployment among blacks was 16%. 1 million black men were unable to find work. 11% of the 9.3 million black men of working age (between 16-64 years) were unemployed. Unemployment rates reflect only the employment status of individuals who are looking for work actively but millions of other men and women are not looking for work. 19% of all working-age black men nearly 1.8 million persons are estimated to have been out of the labor force in 1984. A comparison of labor force statistics for all men 16 years and older shows that dropping out of the labor force is a recent phenomenon. Unemployment data and labor-force data combined reflect the economic status of black men more accurately than either measure alone. Between 1960-84 the number of black men 16 and older who were unemployed or out of the labor force increased from 1.3 million to 3.5 million. Nearly 3/4 of all black men included in census data were working in 1960 but only 57% are working today. For each black man who is counted as unemployed another 2 black men are out of the labor force. Overall 43% of all working-age black men may be unemployed -- 11% are unemployed and 19% are out of the labor force. In contrast to the 79% of all white men of working age who are employed only 57% of comparable men have jobs. The data suggest that the increase in black female-headed families is rooted in the economic alienation of black men. The number of black families headed by women increased by 1 million and the number of black men out of the labor force increased by about 500000 over the 1977-86 period. Additionally the data suggest that researchers may be treating only the symptoms of poverty. The increase in black female-headed families is a palpable economic event rather than a mystical cultural trend. The dimensions of the economic and social isolation of black men call for a diagnostic study of their status and present a formidable challenge to both researchers and policymakers.