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... the unemployment rate for black adults in 1968 was at 8.8 percent, with a rate for black youths at between 40 percent and 45 percent. Today, the unemployment rate among black adults is 15.8 percent, with the same high unemployment rate of 44 percent for African-American youths.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/apr/02/would-dr-king-be-pleased-today/?print

I think part of the problem is the social net programs that allows all unemployed people to remain unemployed for longer periods of time. 99 weeks seems ridiculous to me...almost two years. Even 26 weeks seems long. A guy I know lost his job and could not find another one. On the plus side, he takes care of their child while the mother still works. With his unemployment benefits and not paying child care, his after tax income is actually higher now that when he was unemployed. He plans to continue this arrangement until his benefits run out...not what I think my tax dollars should be doing.