Counting America: An Argument for Racial and Ethnic Classifications

In 1997, three years prior to the 2000 Census count, there were some general complaints about the way in which data about race and ethnicity was collected in the United States. Some people of mixed-race heritage complained that they were forced to choose one racial background over another on census forms, when, in truth, they embraced all aspects of their racial heritage. Others held the opinion that racial and ethnic classifications shouldn't be used at all. They helped stoke tensions in the United States, they said, and prevented us from being a truly colorblind society. Others complained that the census excluded numbers of poor and minorities in this country because of the methods in which the head counts were conducted. While I agree with those who say that the census excludes scores of people, I disagree with those who say racial and ethnic classifications should be abandoned. Racial and ethnic classifications may be problematic, but they are necessary tools in monitoring racial progress and discrimination in the United States.