Latino (mitologia)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census , as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin (ethnicity). The racial categories represent a social-political construct for the race or races that respondents consider themselves to be and "generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country." Race and ethnicity are considered separate and distinct identities, with Hispanic or Latino origin asked as a separate question. Thus, in addition to their race or races, all respondents are categorized by membership in one of two ethnicities, which are "Hispanic or Latino" and "Not Hispanic or Latino". In 1997, OMB issued a Federal Register Notice which provided revised racial and ethnic definitions. "The categories are designed for collecting data on the race and ethnicity of broad population groups in this country. They are based on social and political considerations -- not anthropological or scientific ones. Furthermore, the race categories include both racial and national-origin groups.”

cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/epss/glossary_e.html

title=American FactFinder Help: Ethnicity | accessdate=2010-04-25 |publisher=United States Census Bureau

How Data on Race and Ethnicity are Used

The OMB states that “many federal programs are put into effect based on the race data obtained from the decennial census (i.e., promoting equal employment opportunities; assessing racial disparities in health and environmental risks). Race data are also critical for the basic research behind many policy decisions. States require these data to meet legislative redistricting requirements. The data are needed to monitor compliance with the Voting Rights Act by local jurisdictions." "Data on ethnic groups are important for putting into effect a number of federal statutes (i.e., enforcing bilingual election rules under the Voting Rights Act; monitoring and enforcing equal employment opportunities under the Civil Rights Act). Data on Ethnic Groups are also needed by local governments to run programs and meet legislative requirements (i.e., identifying segments of the population who may not be receiving medical services under the Public Health Act; evaluating whether financial institutions are meeting the credit needs of minority populations under the Community Reinvestment Act).”

Brief Overview of Race and Ethnicity in the U.S. Census' History

Census 1790

In 1790, first official year of the U.S. Census, the following questions were asked, four of which had racial implications:
Number of free White males aged under 16 years
Number of free White males aged 16 years and upward
Number of free White females
Number of other free persons
Number of slaves

cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/index_of_questions/1790_1.html

title=Through the Decades | accessdate=2010-04-25 |publisher=United States Census Bureau

Census 1820

The 1820 census built on the questions asked in 1810 by asking age questions about the slaves that were owned. Also the term “colored” enters the census rhetoric. In addition, a question stating “Number of foreigners not naturalized” was included.

Census 1830

For the 1830 census, a new question which stated “The number of White persons who were foreigners not naturalized” was included, as well as combining the number and age question of both slaves and free colored individuals.

Census 1850

“The 1850 census saw a dramatic shift in the way information about residents was collected. For the first time, free persons were listed individually instead of by family. There were two questionnaires: one for free inhabitants and one for slaves.” “The question on the free inhabitants schedule about color was a column that to be left blank if a person was White, marked "B" if a person was Black, and marked "M" if a person was Mulatto.” Slaves were listed by owner, not individually, and the question about color was a column that was to be marked with a "B" if the slave was Black and an "M" if they were Mulatto.

Census 1870

For the 1870 census, the color question was expanded to include “C” for Chinese which was a category that included all east Asians, as well as “I” for American Indians.

Census 1890

“For 1890, the Census Office changed the design of the population questionnaire. Residents were still listed individually, but a new questionnaire sheet was used for each family. Additionally, this was the first year that the census distinguished between different East Asian races.” This census also marked the beginning of the term “race” in the questionnaires. Enumerators were instructed to write "White," "Black," "Mulatto," "Quadroon," "Octoroon," "Chinese," "Japanese," or "Indian."

Census 1900

For 1900, the “Color or Race” question was slightly modified, removing the term “Mulatto”. Also, there was an inclusion of an “Indian Population Schedule” in which “enumerators were instructed to use a special expanded questionnaire for American Indians living on reservations or in family groups off of reservations.” This expanded version included the question “Fraction of person's lineage that is white.”

Census 1910

The 1910 census was similar to that of 1900, but it included a re-insertion of “Mulatto” and a question about the respondent's "mother tongue.” “Ot” was also added to signify other races where the race could be written in. This year’s version of the Indian Population Schedule featured questions asking the individual’s proportion of white, black, or American Indian lineage.

Census 1920

The 1920 census questionnaire was similar to 1910, but excluded a separate schedule for American Indians. “Hin”, “Kor”, and “Fil” were also added to the “Color or Race” question, signifying Hindu, Korean, and Filipino, respectively.

Census 1930

The biggest change in this year’s census was in racial classification. Enumerators were now instructed to no longer use the "Mulatto" classification. “Instead, they were given special instructions for reporting the race of interracial persons. A person with both White and Black ancestry (termed "blood") was to be recorded as "Negro," no matter fraction of that lineage. A person of mixed Black and American Indian ancestry was also to be recorded as "Neg" (for "Negro") unless he was considered to be "predominantly" American Indian and accepted as such within the community.” A person with both White and American Indian ancestry was to be recorded as an Indian, unless his American Indian ancestry was very small and he was accepted as White within the community. In fact, in all situations in which a person had White and some other racial ancestry, he was to be reported as that other race. Persons who had minority interracial ancestry were to be reported as the race of their father. For the first and only time, "Mexican" was listed as a race. Enumerators were instructed that all persons born in Mexico, or whose parents were born in Mexico, should be listed as Mexicans, and not under any other racial category. However, in prior censuses, and in 1940, enumerators were instructed to list Mexican Americans as white. . The Supplemental American Indian questionnaire was back, but in abbreviated form, and featured a question asking if the person was of full or mixed American Indian ancestry.

Census 1940 (Population)

The 1940 census was the first to include separate population and housing questionnaire. The race category of "Mexican" was eliminated in 1940, and the population of Mexican descent was counted with the White population

Census 1950 (Population)

The 1950 Census questionnaire removed the word “color” from the racial question, and also removed Hindu and Korean from the race choices.

Census 1960 (Population)

The 1960 Census re-added the word “color” to the racial question, and changed “Indian” to “American Indian”, as well as added Hawaiian, Part-Hawaiian, Aleut, and Eskimo. The Other (print out race) option was removed.

Census 1970 (Population)

This year’s census included “Negro or Black”, re-added Korean and the Other race option. There was a questionnaire that was asked of only a sample of respondents. These questions were as follows: a. Where was this person born? b. Is this person's origin or descent...
Mexican
Puerto Rican
Cuban
Central or South American
Other Spanish
None of These 14. What country was the person's father born in? 15. What country was the person's mother born in? 16. a. For persons born in a foreign country- Is the person naturalized? b. When did the person come to the United States to stay? 17. What language, other than English, was spoken in the person's home as a child?
Spanish
French
German
Other
None, only English

Census 1980 (Population)

This year added several options to the race question, including Vietnamese, Indian (East) Guamanian, Samoan, and re-added Aleut. Again, the term “color” was removed from the racial question, and the following questions were asked of a sample of respondents: 11. In what state or foreign country was the person born? 12. If this person was born in a foreign country... a. Is this person a naturalized citizen of the United States? b. When did this person come the United States to stay? 13. a. Does this person speak a language other than English at home? b. If yes, what is this language? c. If yes, how well does this person speak English? 14. What is this person's ancestry?

Census 1990 (Population)

The racial categories in this year are as they appear in the 2000 and 2010 Census. However, the following questions were asked of a sample of respondents for this 1990 Census: 8. In what U.S. State or foreign country was this person born? 9. Is this person a citizen of the United States? 10. If this person was not born in the United States, when did this person come to the United States to stay? The 1990 Census was not designed to capture multiple racial responses, and when individuals marked the Other race option and provided a multiple write in, the response was assigned according to the race written first. “For example, a write in of "Black-White" was assigned a code of Black, a write in of "White-Black" was assigned a code of White.”

Census 2000 (Population)

Race was asked differently in the Census 2000 in several other ways than previously. Most significantly, respondents were given the option of selecting one or more race categories to indicate their racial identities. Data show that nearly seven million Americans identified themselves as members of two or more races. Because of these changes, the Census 2000 data on race are not directly comparable with data from the 1990 census or earlier censuses. Use of caution is therefore recommended when interpreting changes in the racial composition of the US population over time. _ In the 2000 Census, respondents were tallied in each of the race groups they reported. Consequently, the total of each racial category exceeds the total population because some people reported more than one race. The Census Bureau implemented a Census Quality Survey, gathering data from approximately 50,000 households in order to assess the reporting of race and Hispanic origin in the 2000 Census with the purpose creating a way to make comparisons between the 2000 Census with previous Census racial data.

2010 Census

The 2010 US Census includes changes designed to more clearly distinguish Hispanic ethnicity as not being a race. That includes adding the sentence: "For this census, Hispanic origins are not races." Although used in the Census and the American Community Survey, "Some other race" is not an official race, The American Anthropological Association (AAA) recommended that OMB combine the "race" and "ethnicity" categories into one question to appear as "race/ethnicity" for the 2010 US Census. The Interagency Committee agrees, stating that “"race" and "ethnicity” were not sufficiently defined and “that many respondents conceptualize "race" and "ethnicity" as one in the same underscor[ing] the need to consolidate these terms into one category, using a term that is more meaningful to the American people.”

cite web |url=http://www.aaanet.org/gvt/ombdraft.htm

title=American Anthropological Association | accessdate=2010-04-25 |publisher=AAA
The AAA also stated that “"race" has been scientifically proven to not be a real, natural phenomenon. More specific, social categories such as "ethnicity" or "ethnic group" are more salient for scientific purposes and have fewer of the negative, racist connotations for which the concept of race was developed.” It was for this reason that the AAA pushed for a reduction of the term “race” in government data collection. Since 1900, 26 different racial terms have been used to identify populations in the US Census.” The Interagency Committee has suggested that the concept of marking multiple boxes be extended to the Hispanic origin question, thereby freeing individuals from having to choose between their parents' ethnic heritages. In other words, a respondent could chose both “Hispanic or Latino” and “Not Hispanic or Latino.”

cite web |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_1997standards/

title=OMB Standards | accessdate=2010-04-25 |publisher=White House

Other agencies

In 2001, the National Institutes of Health adopted the new language to comply with the revisions to Directive 15, See Race and ethnicity (EEO).

See also

Criticism of the term Latino
Language (United States Census)
Race (classification of human beings)
Race in the United States
Racial and ethnic demographics of the United States
United States Census, 2000

References

Latino (mitologia)