African Americans Fairing Poorly In Recession

AARP has produced a survey on how African Americans over the age of 45 are fairing in the recession.

The findings are harsh. Everybody is feeling the pinch but the numbers and data for African Americans are harsher.

But there were some upsides for this segment of the population. For example African Americans are more likely to seek out job enhancement skills.

AARP: African American Experiences in the Economy: Recession Effects More Strongly Felt

The survey, found that over the last 12 months, a third (33%) of African Americans 45+ had problems paying rent or mortgage, and 44% had problems paying for essential items, such as food and utilities. Nearly twice as many African Americans 45+ lost a job than the general population (18% vs. 10%), and almost one in four (23%) lost their employer-sponsored health insurance.