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5 Facts that Shed Light on the Black-White Wealth Gap

a black man and woman couple arguing over bills

When it comes to the difference in wealth between Black and White households in America, the gap is substantial and persistent.

A recent paper circulated by the National Bureau of Economic Research examined the wealth disparities between Blacks and Whites over a 160-year period, beginning when many Black families were enslaved.

Here is what the report found: Today, the White-to-Black per capita wealth ratio is 6-to-1. While that ratio is far below what it was in 1860 when it was nearly 60-to-1, the gap between Blacks and Whites is only expected to widen in the future.

“Given existing differences in the wealth-accumulating conditions for white and Black individuals, our analysis suggests that full wealth convergence is still an extremely distant or even unattainable scenario,” the paper concluded.

In other words, any hope for a wealth convergence between Black and White households is virtually impossible.

Thus, Black Men’s Health published the infographic below, which contains 5 facts you should know about the Black-White wealth gap.

It shows just how unrelenting that gap truly is.

Created by Tacuma R. Roeback

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