Roundtable discussion: Lust for Statistics - Panel Discussion

American Demographics, March 1, 2001

O'HARE: One can't help but wonder if the new racial categories might erode some of the power of the traditional minority/majority categories. It may add to the re-examination of many public policy and private sector programs built around the black/white dichotomy that dominated public thinking on racial issues in the 1950s and 1960s.

Q: What will be the "unsung stories" of this census?

PREWITT: The obligations between the census and the American people is a significant story. Census 2000 was the people's census, with numerous civic and community groups stepping forward to make this a good census. They did their job; now it's [the bureau's] job to get the data out there for the people to use. I'd like to see the media cover the community's use of the data once it's delivered back to them.

FREY: The black movement back to the South may go underreported. Where are middle class blacks moving to, and how are they different? We'll be able to tell where exactly they're moving to, which will give us a better idea if and how they're becoming integrated in the community.

the panel

Kenneth Darga State Demographer, Michigan

Richard Forstall Consultant, (Retired Staff Member, Census Population Division), Washington, D.C.

William Frey Demographer, Milken Institute, Santa Monica, California

Ken Hodges Director of Demography, Claritas, Inc., San Diego, California

William O'Hare Demographer, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, Maryland

Kenneth Prewitt Dean, Graduate Facility, New School University, New York City (Former Director, U.S. Census Bureau)

Ed Spar Executive Director, Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS), Alexandria, Virginia

Bob Witeck Partner, Witeck-Combs Communications, Washington, D.C.