By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave a comment 0comments Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-president-trump-takes-part-in-a-black-history-month-event-at-the-white-house Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Trump pledges to expand opportunity for Americans of every race Politics Feb 21, 2019 6:55 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is pledging to expand opportunity for Americans of every race, religion and creed as he commemorates Black History Month. Speaking to hundreds Thursday at a White House reception, Trump boasted about the economy and said the unemployment rate for African-Americans is at its “lowest ever.” READ MORE: Trump says he launched an ‘economic boom.’ Here’s what we know Black unemployment did reach a low, 5.9 percent, in May 2018. But that figure changes monthly and had increased to 6.8 percent by January. Trump also touted passage of a criminal justice reform bill in December. He says the nation’s sentencing laws disproportionally “harm African-American communities far, far greater than anybody else.” Catherine Toney, one of the first inmates released through the bill’s passage, thanked Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner for their efforts as the crowd applauded in approval. By — Associated Press Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is pledging to expand opportunity for Americans of every race, religion and creed as he commemorates Black History Month. Speaking to hundreds Thursday at a White House reception, Trump boasted about the economy and said the unemployment rate for African-Americans is at its “lowest ever.” READ MORE: Trump says he launched an ‘economic boom.’ Here’s what we know Black unemployment did reach a low, 5.9 percent, in May 2018. But that figure changes monthly and had increased to 6.8 percent by January. Trump also touted passage of a criminal justice reform bill in December. He says the nation’s sentencing laws disproportionally “harm African-American communities far, far greater than anybody else.” Catherine Toney, one of the first inmates released through the bill’s passage, thanked Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner for their efforts as the crowd applauded in approval.