Nationwide, USA - Until this week, the slow pace of job creation had been driving down overall unemployment numbers.  Now, however, comes word of not only an upward spike in nationwide jobless figures but also of skyrocketing unemployment among African American teenagers. 

The Department of Labor figures indicate the overall teen jobless rate for ages 16-19 for April was 23 percent, a figure almost three times that of the national unemployment average. However the among African Americans teens is closer to 40 percent.

In Illinois, for example, state statistics show that black teenagers are more likely to be without a job and that the unemployment rate for white youths is 24.7 percent, but it’s nearly double for black teenagers at 47.7 percent. In addition, data indicates that 11.7 percent of black teenagers are employed compared to 30 percent for white teenagers and 26 percent for Hispanic teenagers.

Some economists would assert that these numbers indicate a major improvement. In November 2009, the unemployment rate among black Americans aged 16 to 19 hit 49.4 percent, up significantly from 41.3 percent the prior month. The historic record for black teen unemployment, according to Department of Labor Statistics, came in August 1983 when the rate hit 52.1 percent.

What is obvious is that there are very few jobs for African Americans across the board regardless of age and gender, although it is continuously asserted by the Obama administration that we are in the midst of an “economic recovery.”

The unemployment rate is often considered a “lagging indicator” of economic health but a "leading indicator" of politcal health.

Meanwhile, corporations that recorded record profits in the last quarter of 2010, have seen a 0.9 percent trail off in profits for the first quarter of this year.  Even with the dip, it means U.S. corporation cleared more than 1 point 5 trillion dollars in the first three months of 2011.