Still Slipping: African-American Women in the Economy and in Society

This article focuses on the progress and regress of African-American women since the publication in 1986 of the author’s Slipping through the Cracks: The Status of Black Women. Gaps between African-American women and other groups (including African-American men and white women) are still reported in education, employment, income, health services, and incarceration. Some experts believe that racial equality has been achieved in the U.S., and affirmative action has slowed. However, the evidence demonstrates that disparity still exists, especially for African-American women at the bottom of income distribution. Their economic status lags behind white women’s. For example, according to the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, the average net worth of a single, middle-aged white woman is $42,600; the average net worth of a single, middle-aged Black woman is $5. This disparity affects not just the women but their children and their educational opportunities.