Economics

New York Fed Study Shows Why More Black-Owned Firms Are Closing

  • Black-owned businesses declined by 41% from February to April
  • Uneven reach of government aid among reasons for closures
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Black-owned small businesses are twice as likely to shutter as small businesses overall during the coronavirus pandemic because they suffer from pre-existing vulnerabilities, according to a study released Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Data show a 41% drop in the number of active small business owners who are Black from February to April, compared to 22% of owners overall, according to the study. Latinx business owners fell by 32%, while Asian business owners dropped 26% and white business owners retreated 17%.