The unemployment rate for African Americans rose to 16.2 percent in December, a 0.6 percent increase, the government reported today.

The rise for blacks came even as whites saw their unemployment rate decline and the nation’s overall jobless rate held steady at 10 percent.

The bad news for black workers almost certainly will renew calls for President Obama to do more to address the nation’s economic woes. The president in recent weeks has been criticized by some members of the Congressional Black Caucus and others who say he has not done enough to address black unemployment.

Overall, the nation lost a net 85,000 jobs in December, about 5,000 more than analysts had predicted. More than 15 million people were looking for work but could not find it.

An additional 929,000 people were labeled as “discouraged workers,” meaning they had given up looking.

DECEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT BY RACE:
Blacks: 16.2 percent (+0.6 percent for the month)
Whites: 9.0 percent (-0.3 percent for the month)
Hispanics: 12.9 (+0.2 percent for the month)
 

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