The Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report for June, released today, showed a continuation of the steady economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nationally, 850,000 jobs were added last month, while the unemployment rate ticked up slightly, to 5.9%, after falling from 6.1% in April to 5.8% in May.

This recovery, however, continues to be uneven across racial lines. Black workers had June’s highest unemployment rate, at 9.2%. Table 1 and Graph 1 show the U.S. unemployment rate by race for April, May, and June 2021.

The new jobs numbers come as more Americans receive COVID-19 vaccinations, companies offer bonuses and increased wages to incentivize job seekers, and states cut unemployment benefits.

By July 1, 2021, 155.8 million Americans (or 46%) were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. But there are racial disparities in the percentage of the population that has been vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 57% of people who had received at least one dose of the vaccine and whose race/ethnicity was known, 60% were white, 15% were Latino or Hispanic, 9% were Black, 6% were Asian American, and 1% were Native American.

Read the full article about Black workers facing unemployment by Kristen E. Broady and Carl Romer at Brookings.