While academic graphs and charts can help guide researchers, they mean little to William Burts, an African-American who has sold incense oils and jewelry for 19 years at a bustling corner in downtown Washington. To Burts and other African-Americans, the rosy economic news on the grand scale masks some problems facing the community. Janet Mason, an African-American secretary at a law firm, said while the economic picture of black America is upbeat, she worries that when the economy tightens and inflation edges upward and jobs become less plentiful, the pain will be sharpest for blacks. Blacks are less likely to be married Some information in the report suggests that shifts in behavior within the black community could lead to greater economic gains. For example, research shows blacks are less likely to be married than whites.
Some researchers therefore contend that individualist lifestyle is an economic drag.
The numbers back that contention, according to the report. But the gap narrowed sharply for married households. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.