Black Politics Now
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Black Politics Now
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
No Result
View All Result
Black Politics Now
No Result
View All Result

Fact-checking President Biden’s claims on Black employment, health insurance, and wealth

Black Politics Now by Black Politics Now
January 13, 2025
in Elections
0
Fact-checking President Biden’s claims on Black employment, health insurance, and wealth
74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

President Joe Biden poses with valedictorian DeAngelo Jeremiah Fletcher and salutatorian Dwayne Allen Terrell II at Morehouse College’s commencement on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (Alex Brandon / ASSOCIATED PRESS)

You might also like

Texas State Rep. Jolanda Jones launches campaign for US House seat in Houston’s 18th district

John Horhn elected mayor of Jackson, Mississippi

Braveboy achieves overwhelming victory in Prince George’s County special election

June 14, 2024 Story by: Editor

President Joe Biden has been intensifying his efforts to connect with Black voters as polls show a dip in his support within this key demographic. During a commencement speech at Atlanta’s Morehouse College on May 19, Biden highlighted several achievements he attributed to his administration.

“Today, record numbers of Black Americans have jobs, health insurance, and more wealth than ever,” Biden stated.

With both Biden and former President Donald Trump vying for Black voters in a tight presidential race, let’s examine the data supporting each of Biden’s claims.

Black Employment Under Biden

The White House directed PolitiFact to federal data indicating that Black employment reached a peak of just under 21 million in March 2023 during Biden’s presidency, though it slightly declined to 20.6 million by May 2024.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

However, measuring “record numbers” of employed Black Americans isn’t the most insightful metric due to population growth over time. A more telling statistic is the employment-population ratio for individuals aged 20 and older. Under Biden, this ratio reached 63%, a peak not seen since the late 1990s when it hit 65%. This indicates that the percentage of Black men and women employed has returned to pre-pandemic levels and is approaching a historical high.

Health Insurance Coverage Among Black Americans

Note: Data is not available for 2020 due to disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic. Source: KFF analysis of the Census Bureau’s 2010-2022

Biden’s claim regarding health insurance is accurate both in raw numbers and percentages. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), which analyzed Census Bureau data, the uninsured rate among Black Americans fell to a record low of 10% in 2022. This marked a significant improvement from pre-2013 levels before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded insurance coverage. Although the uninsured rate slightly increased during Trump’s tenure, it declined again under Biden in 2021 and 2022.

Black Wealth Gains and Disparities

Source: Federal Reserve

Biden’s assertion that Black Americans now have “more wealth than ever” is partly true. The racial wealth gap data presents mixed results over the past 35 years. One measure is the median wealth ratio between Black and white families. In 2022, this ratio showed that for every $100 held by white families, Black families held $15.75—the highest since 2001 but still only about one-sixth of white family wealth. Here’s the full Federal Reserve report.

However, the absolute-dollar value difference in wealth between Black and white families widened in 2022. The median wealth for white families was $285,000, while Black families had just under $45,000, marking the largest disparity since 1989. 

Jonathan Welburn, a senior researcher at the Rand Corporation, explained that addressing this gap would require trillions of dollars. While Black wealth has increased, attributing these gains directly to Biden’s policies is complex. Factors like net housing wealth, investment income, and business or self-employment growth contributed to Black income growth from 2019 to 2022. Additionally, expanded government benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, approved by both the Trump and Biden administrations, played a significant role.While Biden’s claims on Black employment and health insurance hold up well, his statement about wealth is more nuanced. The wealth gap remains substantial, and various factors beyond his presidency have influenced the recent improvements. As the presidential race continues, these issues will remain critical in engaging Black voters. Source: POLITIFACT

Share30Tweet19
Black Politics Now

Black Politics Now

Recommended For You

Texas State Rep. Jolanda Jones launches campaign for US House seat in Houston’s 18th district

by Black Politics Now
June 11, 2025
0
Texas State Rep. Jolanda Jones launches campaign for US House seat in Houston’s 18th district

Texas State Representative Jolanda Jones has officially announced her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives, aiming to fill the vacancy in Houston's 18th Congressional District left by...

Read moreDetails

John Horhn elected mayor of Jackson, Mississippi

by Black Politics Now
June 5, 2025
0
John Horhn elected mayor of Jackson, Mississippi

Longtime Mississippi State Senator John Horhn has been elected as the next mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, securing approximately 67% of the vote in the June 3, 2025, general...

Read moreDetails

Braveboy achieves overwhelming victory in Prince George’s County special election

by Black Politics Now
June 4, 2025
0
Aisha Braveboy 12 18 2024 600x437

Aisha Braveboy has declared victory in the Prince George's County Executive special election held on June 3, 2025. Braveboy, a Democrat and the county's current State's Attorney, secured...

Read moreDetails

Rally planned to protest delay to filling US Rep Sylvester Turner’s seat

by Black Politics Now
June 2, 2025
0
Sylvester Turner Public Viewing

This Saturday, demonstrators will gather in downtown Austin to protest Governor Greg Abbott's decision to delay the special election for Texas's 18th Congressional District until November 4, 2025.

Read moreDetails

Low Black voter turnout contributes to Ed Gainey’s defeat in Pittsburgh mayoral primary

by Black Politics Now
May 22, 2025
0
Image Source: Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/AP

In a historic and closely watched Democratic primary, incumbent Mayor Ed Gainey, Pittsburgh's first Black mayor, was unseated by Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor. The election results revealed...

Read moreDetails
Next Post
Executive summary and key takeaways on health and healthcare disparities by race and ethnicity

Executive summary and key takeaways on health and healthcare disparities by race and ethnicity

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT

Related News

The United States Department of Justice seal is shown on a podium ahead of a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

US Attorney announces findings of civil rights violations by the Mount Vernon Police Department

February 18, 2025
mother carrying her baby

Top in women’s health: OB/GYN enrollment after Dobbs; complications among Black infants

January 6, 2025
NAACP President Derrick Johnson, pictured in 2019, announced that the organization is representing Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson in the lawsuit. The NAACP has also confirmed that additional members are expected to join the case. (Photograph: Carlos Osorio/AP)

NAACP leader disinvited from speaking at Texas State Bar Juneteenth event

April 24, 2025
Black Politics Now

Get informed on African American politics with "Black Politics Now," your ultimate source for political engagement.

CATEGORIES

  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Congressional Black Caucus
  • Criminal Justice
  • Data
  • Department of Justice
  • Diversity Initiatives
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Enviroment
  • Equity
  • Hate Crimes
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Investigations
  • Legal Defense Fund
  • NAACP
  • Policy
  • Real Estate
  • Reparations
  • Research
  • Sports
  • State Issues
  • Study
  • Supreme Court
  • Technology
  • Voter Rights
  • World

Quick Link

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of service
  • Contact us

Download Our App

© 2024 Black Politics Now | All Right Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpChatIcon
wpChatIcon
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Civil Rights
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Health
  • Policy
  • Reparations
  • Voter Rights
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Cart
SUBSCRIBE

© 2024 Black Politics Now | All Right Reserved

Join the Movement, Subscribe Now!(Don't worry, we'll never spam you!)

Don’t miss a beat—get the latest news, inspiring stories, and in-depth coverage of the issues that matter most to the Black community. Be part of the conversation and stay connected.

Enter your email address