Economic Policy
The Joint Center’s Economic Policy Program identifies challenges and opportunities for advancing the economic status of Black communities. See below for research, analysis, and activities related to economic policy.
A Lost Decade: Neighborhood Poverty and the Urban Crisis of the 2000s
This report looks at trends in the share of African American, Hispanic, and white families in high-poverty neighborhoods since 1970. While there is a smaller share of Black, Hispanic, and…
FACT SHEET: A Lost Decade: Neighborhood Poverty and the Urban Crisis of the 2000’s
This fact sheet summarizes the results of A Lost Decade: Neighborhood Poverty and the Urban Crisis of the 2000s. View it below. Lost Decade Fact Sheet
Obstacles to Saving for Retirement
A presentation on Obstacles to Saving for Retirement was given by Dr. Wilhelmina Leigh for the National Press Foundation’s Retirement Issues 2011 forum on June 14, 2011. This presentation is available…
African Americans and Social Security: A Primer
Although many African Americans depend on Social Security benefits to meet their basic needs, the value of the program to this group is often debated and sometimes misrepresented or discounted.…
Congressional Black Caucus Hearing Out of Work But Not Out of Hope: Addressing the Crisis of the Chronically Unemployed
Read an expert from a testimony for the Congressional Black Caucus hearing, “Out of Work But Not of Hope: Addressing the Crisis of the Chronically Unemployed” below. Read the full…
Retirement Savings Behavior and Expectations of African Americans: 1998 and 2009
Among pre-retirees, confidence about having enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement typically reflects the state of one’s current savings behavior, known savings vehicles, and expected major sources of retirement…
Asset-Building: Explaining the Racial/Ethnic Wealth Gap
The racial/ethnic wealth gap in this country is both huge and persistent. The ratio between the median net worth of white Households and African American households is nearly 7:1, while…
The 2008-2009 Economic Downturn: Perspectives of African Americans
African Americans and white Americans differ in the type and magnitude of their asset holdings. Perhaps as a result of these differences, the two groups also have differing perspectives on…
African American Perspectives on the Social Security System – 1998 and 2009
African Americans are more likely than whites to expect that Social Security will be their major source of income during retirement. This was true in both 1998 (35 percent of…
A Complete and Accurate Count in the 2010 Census
The upcoming decennial census will have an enormous impact on political representation and the allocation of government funding. View the data here.