African Americans see higher unemployment rates

The United States’ average unemployment rate is 10.2%. But that average conceals a wide range of very real statistics for different groups of people currently out of work. For African Americans, joblessness rates are much higher than the average ? more than 15% nationwide. This week, the N.A.A.C.P. and a host of other groups called on President Obama to do more to create jobs. We speak with Hilary Shelton, senior vice president for advocacy and policy for the N.A.A.C.P., and Amanda Cox, a graphics editor at The New York Times, whose recent project explored U.S. unemployment data by race, gender, age and education levels. We also speak with Takeaway listener Francine Morin, who rang us some months ago on her way to a job interview and now, at last, has a job.