Final answer:
Unemployment rates are higher for African Americans and Hispanics due to educational disparities, discrimination, and occupational segregation. Although there was improvement in the 1990s and mid-2000s, the Great Recession increased unemployment rates for these groups. The correct option is D.
Step-by-step explanation:
The higher unemployment rates for African Americans and Hispanics compared to whites can be attributed to several factors, which include educational disparities, discrimination, and occupational segregation. These factors not only limit opportunities but also contribute to economic inequality.
Despite some narrowing of unemployment rate gaps in the 1990s and a period of relatively low unemployment rates for African Americans and Hispanics in the mid-2000s, the recent Great Recession saw an increase in these rates once again. Educational disparities lead to different employment opportunities based on varying levels of access to and quality of education.
Discrimination in hiring and employment practices restricts minority groups' access to certain jobs, while occupational segregation can concentrate these groups into certain sectors or positions, often with lower pay and less job security.