During Obama’s presidency, inflation-adjusted wages for Black Americans trailed the equivalent figure for white Americans by $74.5 on average. Under Trump, that average gap rose to $84.9.

Top White House economic adviser Lael Brainard declared that the U.S. economy had turned the corner in bringing down inflation and it was now time to focus on safeguarding jobs and growth.

When the world grinded to a halt back in March 2020, one of the most tried and true rules of the U.S. economy once again reared its ugly head: When the economy goes into crisis, Black workers are ...