African American unemployment drops from 13.7 to 12.6 percent

Job applicants fill out applications for positions at a new bar and restaurant in Detroit. PHOTO/Paul Sancya/AP

The number of African Americans seeking employment has dropped – down from recent highs, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The July report indicates numbers are down from 13.7 percent to 12.6 percent, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Labor. This is the lowest rate since 2008.

The American economy added 162,000 during the month of July – a number lower than had been initially anticipated.

Despite a more optimistic figure for July on both fronts, many African American communities continue to feel crippled by an unemployment rate that is consistently nearly double the national rate.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland) believes that if the across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration had not been implemented and Republicans offered “just a little bit of cooperation” to help President Obama pass some job creation measures, the national unemployment rate would be closer to 5 percent.

The rate of unemployment in the African American community continues to remain double rate of unemployment for white Americans which stands at 6.6 percent.

Overall unemployment in July was 7.4 percent, down from 7.6 percent.