Overview

• BLS data show the rate rose from 6.8% in June to 7.2% in July and 7.5% in August, nearing the October 2021 peak of 7.6%.
• Unemployment for Black women also reached 7.5% in August, far above the 4.3% national jobless rate.
• Economists warn the rise is an early signal for broader labor-market weakness, with KPMG’s Diane Swonk calling it a canary for a wider slowdown.
• Coverage attributes part of the increase to Trump administration policies, including federal workforce reductions—97,000 jobs shed this year—tariffs, and corporate pullbacks from DEI.
• Black-owned businesses report weaker demand and staffing cutbacks, and new aid efforts such as the Global State of Women Rapid Relief Fund are launching.