Non-White Makeup of U.S. Labor Force (1980-2016)

I used Swivel.com (a small social network for number crunchers) to chart some figures that struck a nerve in me way back in 2004. At that time I didn’t have — nor did the web have — the means to visualize the data in this dynamic way but now, thanks to continuously evolving webware, I am able to whip out graphics in an afternoon.

“Only among Black Americans do women outnumber men in the labor force (women surpassed men in the late 1980s). Hispanic women are projected to surpass Black women before 2016 while Hispanic men increase faster than everyone. The data source contains no info for Asian Americans prior to 2000. Among whites, men outnumber women yet women are joining at a faster rate. Whites are excluded here because their high population figures would make these details too difficult to see.”

Source: U.S. Census Statistical Abstract Labor Table 575 (2009) http://tinyurl.com/38j7zgr
Y-axis equals millions

This line graph version of the same data shows exactly when the significant changes occurred and are projected to occur.