Economic Studies
The State of the Black Labor Market
The brief, The State of the Black Labor Market, analyzes U.S. labor market data for Black workers from January to August 2026. The first eight months of 2026 produced three…
Joint Center Appeared on WURD Evening Wurd’s Podcast to Discuss Jobs Day Analysis
Joint Center Senior Researcher for Financial Regulation and Policy Cantrell Dumas appeared on WURD Radio’s Evening WURD podcast to discuss the elevated Black unemployment rate and the Joint Center’s Jobs…
The Earned Income Tax Credit, Black Workers, and the Case for Reform: Refundable Tax Credits and Black Economic Security
This brief, The Earned Income Tax Credit, Black Workers, and the Case for Reform: Refundable Tax Credits and Black Economic Security, makes the case for protecting and strengthening the EITC…
The Tax Code and Black Wealth: How the Federal Tax Code Builds Wealth for Some and Strips It from Others
The Tax Code and Black Wealth is a policy brief series examining how the federal tax code builds wealth for some and strips it from others, organized into sub-series that…
Opening a Retirement Account Is Not Enough to Close the Black Retirement Divide
Racial economic inequality follows Black Americans across the life course. In 2022, 22 percent of Black children lived in poverty, compared with 10 percent of white children. Among adults ages…
July 2026 Jobs Day Analysis
The Joint Center analyzes unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and shows how these numbers affect Black workers. Our July Jobs Day analysis is below. From June to July, the…
C-SPAN Published Joint Center Testimony at Senate Banking Committee Hearing
Joint Center Senior Researcher Cantrell Dumas provided remarks at the Senate Banking Committee hearing. He argued that these disparities in financing between Black- and white-owned firms show why capital markets…
POLITICO Highlighted Joint Center Appearance at Senate Banking Committee Hearing
Joint Center Senior Researcher Cantrell Dumas provided remarks at the Senate Banking Committee hearing. He argued that these disparities in financing between Black- and white-owned firms show why capital markets…
Joint Center Testifies During Congressional Hearing ‘To Examine Empowering Main Street By Unlocking Access To Capital’
Joint Center Senior Researcher Cantrell Dumas testified during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing titled “Hearings To Examine Empowering Main Street By Unlocking Access To Capital.” Other…
The Root Highlighted Joint Center’s April Jobs Day Analysis
The Root highlighted the Joint Center’s 2026 April Jobs Day analysis in an article discussing how Black men and boys are facing increased economic hardships. From the article: “In April…