Joblessness for Black workers is rising again, two years after reaching a record low. It's a troubling indicator: Joblessness often spikes higher for historically marginalized groups during economic downturns, and takes longer to fall. This time, the Trump administration's assault on diversity programs and cuts to the federal workforce could make it even more difficult for Black workers to recover when conditions improve. The African American unemployment rate has surged over the past four months, from 6% to 7.5%, while the rate for white people ticked down slightly to 3.7%. On top of a slowing economy, the White House's actions have disproportionately harmed Black workers, economists said.