Chicago Tribune / Algernon Austin - There is a racial preference in the job market. It’s for white people. (Gift link)

By Algernon Austin
PUBLISHED: February 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM CST

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I’ve looked at data on several comparisons of this sort, and the answer is always the same: It is better to be white. Dozens of studies over dozens of years show that employers prefer white job applicants over equally qualified Black applicants. Emily and Greg are more likely to be hired than Lakisha and Jamal. It doesn’t matter what skills or qualifications one has — being white is an advantage in the labor market.

Even among individuals who were formerly incarcerated, white people with a criminal record are more likely to be hired than Black people with records. The unemployment rate for white people who were formerly incarcerated is lower than for their Black peers.

There is a racial preference in the labor market — and contrary to what you might have heard, the racial preference is for white people.

The opponents of diversity, equity and inclusion policies and affirmative action in employment do not mention this truth. They will instead claim the opposite, that white people are somehow disadvantaged, without providing any serious evidence. They tell stories but provide no systematic data — because there is none.

Data from the 1970s onward show that the Black unemployment rate is consistently about twice the white unemployment rate and that Black wages are consistently lower than white wages. How can white people be disadvantaged when they are more likely to find work and to earn higher wages?

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