July 31, 2017 – Roland Martin, NewsOne NOW
July 31 is #BlackWomensEqualPay Day. It represents the number of days into 2017 a black woman must work to earn the same pay a white man made in 2016.
Why This Is Important:
Eight out of ten (80.6 percent) Black mothers are breadwinners, who are either the sole earner or earn at least 40 percent of household income. (2017, The Status of Black Women in the United States, Institute for Women’s Policy Research)
Black women work more hours than white women. They have increased work hours 18.4 percent since 1979, yet the wage gap relative to white men has grown. (2017, Economic Policy Institute)
The Wage Gap Negatively Affects The Economy – In 2016, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee found that at the current rate, women will earn half a million dollars less than men over the course of their careers. The gap is not projected to close until 2059, which will negatively affect retirement security and purchase power for low-wage earners. (2016, U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee)
When 70 percent of black mothers serve as the primary or sole breadwinner in their family, every penny counts. – AAUW
What You Can Do:
Raise Awareness! Click the share button below to let your followers know why gender pay inequality is an issue that affects us all
Read and share key findings from a research study by the National Domestic Workers Alliance: The Status of Black Women in the United States
TWEET THIS! Tell your Congressman that black women deserve more than 63 cents to the dollar
Click the hashtag: #BlackWomensEqualPay on all social media platforms today to learn more.
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