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Statement

66 Cents on the Dollar Is Not Enough! Tomorrow, Thursday, Is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. It’s Past Time to Pay Black Women What We Deserve.

July 9, 2025
Equal Pay

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement from leaders of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, Thursday, July 10:

“Black women are the backbone of our economy and our communities, but we face outrageous wage discrimination that undermines our economic security, our families’ wellbeing, and our country’s economy. The numbers are grim: Black women in the United States are paid just 66 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men who work full-time year-round. That gap widens to 64 cents when we look at all Black women earners, including those in full- and part-time jobs and who work part-time and part-year, as well as full-time and year-round. Black moms are paid an even more appalling 49 cents for every dollar in wages paid to white dads.

“Rampant racism, sexism, and job segregation perpetuate this punishing discrimination – but there are solutions. Wage transparency, paid family and medical leave for all working people, affordable child and elder care, living wages, and stronger protections against discrimination in the workplace will help close the wage gap for Black women and all women. It is disgraceful that lawmakers have failed to adopt those policies and truly alarming that the Trump administration is taking our country backward in terms of enforcing anti-discrimination laws. We demand that lawmakers at every level end the attacks on Black women’s economic security and commit to ending wage discrimination now.”

-Statement of Monifa Bandele, Senior Vice President, MomsRising

“On average, the wage gap costs Black women in this country more than $42,000 per year – money we need for food, housing, health care, transportation, child and elder care, education, retirement savings, and more. Black women are breadwinners, caregivers, entrepreneurs, and one of the most educated demographic groups in our country, yet we are persistently, and painfully, shortchanged on our wages. That is hurting us, our families and communities, businesses and our economy, and it cannot continue. It’s past time to close the wage gap and pay Black women what we deserve. There’s no time to wait.

“Lawmakers must take action to close the wage gap and make this the last Black Women’s Equal Pay Day we have to observe.”

-Statement of Diarra Diouf, Campaign Director, MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.