By 1933, white unemployment in the United States had reached approximately what percentage?

• A. 50%
• B. 10%
• C. 15%
• D. 20%

Answer: (D)

During the Great Depression, job losses were severe across the country, with 1933 marking the peak of unemployment. For whites, the best estimate is around 20 percent, which captures a very large rise from pre‑Depression levels without implying unrealistically higher nationwide rates. The overall unemployment rate was higher, but data for whites specifically tend to hover near this level, reflecting widespread but not universal job loss among white workers. The other figures are either too low to reflect the scale of the downturn or far too high for a nationwide white unemployment estimate.