Race in the U.S. Census: 1790 to 2010
April 19th, 2011The concept of race and the associated terminology has altered over time. Dr. Michael Rodriguez, associate professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota, sent me a very intriguing example of the evolution of the race item on the U.S. Census. The census is administered every 10 years, and almost every administration seems to contain a variation in the language surrounding race. The full pictorial history of its evolution can be found here: http://racebox.org/
Some interesting things of note:
- “Colored persons” started to be counted in 1830, and then only if they were classified as “free” (although the three-fifths compromise, allowing African slaves to count as three-fifths of a person for representation and distribution of taxes, began in 1787).
- The distinction of counting only “free” people disappears after 1850 (the Civil War began in 1861).
- The item specifically concerning “…of Spanish/Hispanic origin or descent” begins in 1980.
- Also beginning in 1980, “color” (the color of a person’s skin) is no longer affiliated with race in the item stem.
Anything interesting you see? Leave us a comment and let us know.
Joseph