p. 57

ten years earlier. The following graph serves to demonstrate the income and
gains in income between Blacks and the total population in Milwaukee.

[Chart labeled "Median Income in Milwaukee 1950-1973," showing a greater "Median Income" for the "Total Population" than that of the "Black Population." At the side is typed, "Figures for the Black median income in 1950 and 1975 are not available."]

Employment
Milwaukee's Black unemployment crisis, particularly among youths, has gained
considerable attention in the past few months. Even in times of economic
growth and prosperity, the Black unemployment
rate has always been at least double the rate
for the total population. In 1950, the Black
jobless rate in Milwaukee was 3.2 times higher,
in 1960, 2.5 times higher. In 1970, 3,085
Blacks, or 8.3 percent of the Black civilian
labor force, were unemployed. The overall
unemployment rate in the city at that time
was only 4.1 percent. The chart at the
right shows these unemployment trends in the
city.

[Chart labeled "Milwaukee Unemployment Rates 1950-1970," showing the "Black Population" has a higher "Percent Unemployed" than the "Total Population."]

While more recent unemployment figures for the
city have been calculated, official statistics
for minority unemployment in the city are not
available. Black unemployment figures gen-
erally must be estimated from overall jobless
rates. The overall city unemployment rate in
July of 1978 was 6.4 percent, according to
the Wisconsin State Job Service. Black unemployment at that time is conservatively
estimated at 12.3%.

*The estimate is based on the 1977 unemployment rate for the total population
times a factor of 2.0, the result of a ratio developed between the total unem-
ployment for the city population and the unemployment among Black as reported in
the 1970 Census.