In 1966 the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. highlighted the link between economic security and racial equality. By making a crucial distinction between mere jobs — often seasonal, temporary, or cyclical — and the economic security necessary to participate in American society as equals, King drew attention to the relative inferiority of opportunities generally available to Black workers at the time.
Closing the Job Mobility Gap Between Black and White Americans
Leaders need to fix their pipelines and build new pathways into higher-paying careers.
July 14, 2021
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Summary.
Today, Black Americans face stubborn gaps between their economic position and that of white people. Research estimates a $220 billion annual wage disparity versus a parity scenario, with Black workers currently concentrated in low-wage jobs, underrepresented in higher-paying occupations, and paid less than white workers on average within the same occupational categories, especially in managerial and leadership roles. Two initiatives could make a big difference: unblocking pipelines into higher-paying professions and creating pathways to better careers from lower-paying occupations. The authors describe how business leaders can do this to promote Black economic mobility.