In the recently completed Census, the US Census Dept included mixed race categories. However they included all who checked black or African-American in the category of African-American. Shouldn't these persons have been allowed to decide for themselves what categories to place themselves? Was the Census Bereau deceptive in what they did? Should mixed race people be counted as African-American?

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

Answers

Your question doesn't make sense. Do you mean that the persons that checked "mixed race" were included in the African-American category?

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

The persons who checked Mixed Race where one of the races was black or African-American was counted as Black or African-American even if there were three or more races involved. In words of antiquity, the One-Drop rule was used. Does that help?

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

Pastor Paris...How would you classify people of mixed heritage? For example--I am an octoroon (European 1/8), Native American and African. I prefer my Afrikan and Native American heritage, but don't acknowledge the European. Then too, the white gene is recessive when mixed with people of Afrikan descendant. Could this be reason for the classification?

In Love and Light, Brenda

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

I would not classify you. I accept you as a child of God, created in His image, and would als accept you as you classify yourself if you chose to do so.

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001

Again, Pastor Paris...how would you classify the people of mixed races on the census? Would the Census need to create new categories? Such as Native-Afrikan American, White Afrikan American or Afrikan European American, Native European American...how about just plain "Sooner" American for all the people caught in the middle:- )....

In Love and Light, Brenda

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Good question. I would simply allow the person to classify themselves. First, I would determine the need for any racial categories. If a legitemite need exists, then that category would be listed. As you said of yourself, you would then check each category that YOU felt defined yourself. You would then be counted in those categories only, for example Black-Hispanic, White-Hispanic, etc.

Personally, I see no need for any racial categories. I understand the need to identify people by income or financial status so that adequate facilities can be provided by the government for the poor or under-privileged. I cannot see any difference in the needs of a poor white single mother and a poor black single mother; they both need the same help.

Classification by race divides us so much and produces so little if anything positive.

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

This is a classic example of a "little bit of knowledge" being dangerous! I worked as an Enumerator during Census 2000 last year, I kept a copy of the "long form", but not the "short form". You were given a wide scope of opportunity to CLEARLY identify your race if you chose to! There are but a precious few of us African Americans of mixed heritage that can lay claim to that heritage, the Tiger Woods are just beginning to emerge!!

Barbara Ransom Census 2000 Enumerator

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

Sister Barbra;

I'm not sure what you mean by a "little bit of knowledge". We are well aware of the form content. The problem is not with the form. The problem lies with including Mixed Race persons, ehose mixture include African being included in the count of African American without their permission. The enumerator simply took the data, the analyst interprets the data and arrives at conclusions.

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2001

I think they should be listed as separate. The individual should decide what they want to list as. I need to ask you a question about the USA census. Can you give me the actual number of people that live in America. The reason for me to ask this, is becuase I want to do something for this country. I want to build a website. Please let me know. I went to look up in the library and I don't know where to find it. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Henry Wong

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2001

Well, if you don't mind doing the arithmetic, the total population by state may be found at Total Summary Population At the US Census Bureau site. But I can appreciate your frustration. It took some tunneling just to get this data.

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2001

So after performing the arithmetic, I came up with 285,230,516. Since this matches the order of magnitude number I heard on the radio recently, I am assuming this is the Census total for 2000.

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2001

http://www.census.gov/index.html This url will show a population clock.

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2001