The “Economic State of Black Men and Boys in the United States” report examines more than 20 million lives, revealing growing disparities at every stage.
By Phenix S Halley
The Root
https://www.theroot.com/
Black men and boys are facing an economic reality that stretches from the classroom to the workplace. Now, a new report says the problems are no longer just evident… In many critical areas, they’re getting worse.
The first annual “Economic State of Black Men and Boys in the United States “report, released by the John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership in partnership with the Virginia Alliance for Black Men and Boys, takes a hard look at over 20 million Black American men and boys, finding a slew full of warning signs, from reading proficiency in elementary school to college enrollment, employment, pay and wealth.
“Even if you come from a ‘wealthy Black family,’ that still doesn’t prevent you from having to deal with systemic barriers, which is something we knew, but the data actually pointed that out,” author, educator and activist Dr. Wes Bellamy told The Root in an interview.
The report makes one thing clear: When Black men and boys are lumped into broader statistics about Black Americans, their specific struggles can disappear into the averages.
The problems start early.
In 2024, just 17% of Black fourth graders performed at or above the National Assessment of Educational Progress’ Proficient level in reading, according to the report. By eighth grade, that number dropped to 14%, while more than 60% of Black eighth graders performed below the Basic level.
Dr. Bellamy told us these issues are systemic. “The systems are playing out exactly as they were designed to, which is why we see some of the bleak numbers in which we have,” he said.
Then there’s college. Black male undergraduate enrollment dropped about 22% between 2010 and 2022. At historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), where Black men have historically played a critical role, the decline was even steeper. Black men now make up roughly 26% of HBCU enrollment, down from 38% in 1976, we previously told you.
And once they enter the workforce, the numbers aren’t much better.
In April 2026, Black workers had a 7.3% unemployment rate–the highest among the nation’s major racial and ethnic groups, according to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. In June, that number sat at 6.6%. As we previously discussed, high unemployment within the Black community usually points to greater implications for the rest of America.
“We’re not a monolithic group, [and] I think oftentimes for Black men, we don’t receive the same level of grace as other particular demographic groups,” Dr. Bellamy said.
The employment-to-population ratio for Black men also dropped between the first quarters of 2025 and 2026, with the decline concentrated among men without four-year college degrees, the study found.
For those who are working, the pay gap remains stubborn, but that’s no secret. Black men earned a median of $1,039 a week in 2025, compared with $1,354 for White men–roughly 77 cents for every dollar earned by White men.
And then there’s wealth–or, more accurately, the lack of a financial cushion when things go wrong.
Black households had a median transaction-account balance of $2,200, compared with $10,000 for White households. Black homeownership stood at 43%, compared with 73% for White households.
That means when a job disappears, an unexpected bill lands or an economic downturn hits, Black families often have less room to absorb the blow.
The report calls for earlier mentorship, stronger literacy programs, mental health and career support, expanded apprenticeships and skilled-trade opportunities, and targeted help for Black men facing long-term unemployment.
But it isn’t simply sounding an alarm. The report is demanding accountability. “What I was most happy about is the fact that we now know the data, and we can develop a plan,” Dr. Bellamy continued. “It’s one thing for us to talk about and synthesize and summarize what’s transpiring; it’s something completely different for us to actually have the figures all compiled in one particular area, and now we can plan to move forward.”
Because the data tells a story that can’t be ignored: Too many Black men and boys are falling behind at every stage of the economic pipeline. And until schools, colleges, employers, policymakers and communities treat those outcomes as a specific problem requiring specific solutions, the numbers aren’t likely to change.
