Marshawn Wolley: Believing there are Black jobs segregates the economy

The use of the phrase “Black jobs” has triggered a social media backlash by Black professionals even as a review of the data on Black workers highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Black people and the underrepresentation of Black professionals in in the labor force.

Former President Donald Trump has used the phrase “Black jobs” and “African American jobs” more recently in a presidential debate within the context of his discussion of “illegal immigration” to suggest undocumented immigrants were stealing jobs that ostensibly belong to Black people.

Setting aside the obvious problem of calling people “illegal,” Black professionals have reacted to the phrase “Black jobs” by challenging the idea that such a thing exists. (Is there such a thing as white jobs?)

Black professionals across the country responded on social media highlighting the myriad professions Black people are in—from doctors to lawyers, corporate executives, university professors, etc.

Michelle Obama even got in on the social trend by deadpanning during her well-received speech during the DNC national convention: “Who is going to tell President Trump that running for president might be one of those Black jobs?”

Suffice to say the phrase did not land well with Black professionals as they responded creatively to a racist imagination that believes Black people belong in low-wage jobs. (Again, if Black jobs are a thing, what are white jobs?)

This trend did pique my interest in reviewing where Black people and Black professionals stood in the labor market.

A 2021 Mckinsey analysis of Black people in the labor market revealed some disappointing findings. Approximately 45% of Black people were concentrated in three industries: health care, retail, and accommodation and food service.

Black people were underrepresented in information technology, professional services and financial services.

Just as concerning was that according to the study, less than one in 10 Black workers lived in the fastest-growing cities and counties across the country, limiting access to high-paying jobs.

The study also found that 43% of Black workers made less than $30,000 in the private sector.

A 2021 Economic Policy Institute study on racial representation in professional occupations found that Black people were underrepresented in professional jobs, with Black people constituting 12.8% of the labor force but only representing 10% of professional jobs with substantial underrepresentation in key occupations.

The study also found that while Black people constituted 20.5% of community and social service occupations, they were only in 8.9% of management occupations, 5.9% of architecture occupations, 6% of life, physical and social science occupations, and 6.9% of legal occupations.

Within government, Black people were 18.3% of federal professionals, 11.9% of state professionals and 10.3% of local government professionals.

There was also a consistent Black-white pay disparity across major professional occupation categories.

Given the data, I imagine there are some who will say, “Well isn’t the former president right?”

No. The idea that a racial group belongs in certain occupations finds it roots in slavery and nearly 200 years of segregation in the labor market where Black people were relegated to specific occupations, or in the event they were able to obtain a professional skill, were forced to operate in a segregated economy.

There are no Black jobs. There are no white jobs.

Even while there is substantially more work that needs to be done to increase diversity in professional occupations, believing that a race, sex or any other immutable characteristic means that one is relegated to an occupation is the problem.•

__________

Wolley is president and CEO of Black Onyx Management Inc. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.

Click here for more Forefront columns.