Census form won't have multiracial category

Jet, Nov 17, 1997

The federal government recently decided not to include multiracial" as a category for race on the next census. But it will allow people of mixed ancestry to list themselves in as many racial categories that apply.

Franklin Raines, director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced the decision, which came after several years of debate, analysis and hearings.

Traditionally, people have been asked to choose one of the racial categories. But the growth in the number of people of mixed race led to calls for the multiracial category. The number of children in mixed-race families jumped from fewer than 500,000 in 1970 to 2 million in 1990.

Raines said that the government prefers individuals to select for themselves which race or races they belong to.

Other changes to the rules include amending the Black category to read "Black or African American."