The more things change, the more they stay the same. In nearly 40 years, the wage gap between black and white workers hasn’t improved. In fact, it’s gotten worse.



According to the Economic Policy Institute, in 2015 black men earned 22 percent less than white men, while black women made 34.2 percent less. Black women also earned 11.7 percent less than white women. These employees share the same education, experience, metro status, and region of residence. Yet black men and women’s checks still came up short.



What’s really going on?



Valerie Wilson, co-author of the report, explained, “Education unquestionably enhances mobility and increases wages, but what it does not do as effectively is eliminate racial disparities. More education means higher wages, but it does not mean equal wages between blacks and whites as they ascend that ladder.”



In other words, discrimination is still a factor. In order to close the gap, the report suggests intentional and direct action. This includes enforcing “anti-discrimination laws in the hiring, promotion, and pay of women and minority workers.”



Wilson declared the wage gap is “worse now than it was 36 years ago.”

America, what’s going on?

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