Black working moms in the United States face unique challenges and experiences compared to other working moms. They often have to balance their work responsibilities with the responsibilities of caring for their families, while also dealing with systemic racial inequalities and discrimination. The following 10 statistics shed light on the realities faced by Black working moms in the US.
A Infographic that exposes the hidden struggles faced by Black working moms in the USA, as exposed by the numbers.”
The Realities of Being a Black Working Moms in the USA: Hard-Hitting Stats and Facts You Can’t Ignore
Sources:
- In 2020, Black women had the highest labor force participation rate among all women in the US at 63.1%. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021)
- Black women with children are more likely to be in the labor force than White or Hispanic women with children. (Center for American Progress, 2019)
- Black women earn only 63 cents to every dollar earned by non-Hispanic White men, resulting in a wage gap of 37%. (National Women’s Law Center, 2021)
- Facts : Black women are more likely to work in jobs that pay low wages, such as retail and food service, which can make it difficult to make ends meet. (National Women’s Law Center, 2021)
- Black women are more likely to be in jobs that do not offer paid sick leave, making it difficult to take time off when they or their children are sick. (National Women’s Law Center, 2021)
- Black women are overrepresented in jobs that have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as healthcare support and food service. (National Women’s Law Center, 2021)
- In 2019, Black women were more likely to be unemployed than White women, with an unemployment rate of 5.2% compared to 3.1% for White women. (National Women’s Law Center, 2021)
- Black mothers are more likely to be breadwinners than White or Hispanic mothers, with 80% of Black mothers being breadwinners or co-breadwinners. (Center for American Progress, 2019)
- Black single mothers have a poverty rate of 35.6%, which is more than three times the poverty rate of married Black mothers. (National Women’s Law Center, 2021)
- Black women are less likely to have access to affordable childcare, with 57% of Black households living in “childcare deserts” compared to 41% of non-Black households. (THE STATE of INEQUITY DREAMS DEFERRED 2023 (n.d.))