Dear John,

Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day—marking how far into this year Black women must work to earn what white, non-Hispanic men were paid last year alone. Today is not a celebration, but instead an opportunity for education and action about the inequities Black women face every day in this country. Here’s what you should know:

* The numbers: The wage gap costs Black women $1,891 per month, $22,692 per year, and $907,680 over a 40-year career. Black women can never make up these staggering losses in their lifetimes. If the pay gap doesn’t close, Black women would have to live five years past their life expectancy to catch up to what white, non-Hispanic men are paid by age 60.

* Education level: Black women experience a wage gap compared to white, non-Hispanic men at every education level, even when they have earned a professional or graduate degree. Black women working full-time, year-round typically have to earn a master’s degree to make more than white, non-Hispanic men with just an associate degree. Among doctorate holders, a Black woman working full-time, year-round typically makes 65 cents for every dollar a white, non-Hispanic man working full-time, year-round with the same education makes—an annual loss of $53,334, or more than $2.1 million for a 40-year career.

* Job level: Black women face a wage gap in each of the ten occupations where they are most likely to work, many of which are low-paid. For example, Black women working full time, year-round as cashiers and retail salespeople make just 55 cents for every dollar a white, non-Hispanic man makes. For Black women, the highest paying occupations among the ten most common are careers in nursing and education—but Black women working full time, year-round in these roles are paid about 20% less than their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts.

* Why this is happening: Black women’s paid and unpaid labor has continuously been exploited to support our economy, beginning with the institution of chattel slavery and continuing to the present day, where Black women are overrepresented in physically demanding, low-pay jobs. The wage gap is fueled by both racism and sex discrimination in the workforce, meaning Black women can’t just “work hard” to achieve pay equity—structural barriers keep them earning less.

* What you can do: Tell Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act which would strengthen our equal pay laws and help Black women build greater economic security. Have these conversations with your friends and family—educating and building consensus in your inner circle is powerful!

Thank you for your commitment to learning, addressing inequities in your communities, and working together to ensure Black women are paid what they’re owed.

In solidarity,
Lark Lewis
she/her/hers
Senior Manager of Creative and Digital Strategies
National Women's Law Center
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