(BNET) – A new report from the nonprofit group Catalyststates that “Collectively, women and minorities lost ground in America’s corporate boardrooms between 2004 and 2010.” Based on Catalyst’s research, that’s true enough: White men accounted for 72.9 percent of the members of Fortune 100 boards in 2010-slightly more than 2004, when they accounted for 71.2 percent. But lumping “women and minorities” together masks the real problem. It’s true that women haven’t gained much ground since 2004–just one lousy percentage point. And Catalyst, as an organization dedicated to women’s advancement in corporate America, is most concerned with women’s representation. But in terms of board representation, what the Catalyst research really shows is a disaster for African-American men.
