U.S. Revises Race and Ethnicity Categories After 27 Years

In a significant move, the U.S. government has decided to update its classification of people by race and ethnicity after a span of 27 years. This endeavor aims to provide a more accurate representation of residents, particularly those identifying as Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and North African.

The recent adjustments to the minimum categories regarding race and ethnicity, disclosed by the Office of Management and Budget on Thursday, mark the ongoing endeavor to categorize and define the American populace. Such adaptations reflect not only shifts in social perceptions and immigration patterns but also the societal aspiration for individuals to see themselves accurately represented in the data compiled by federal agencies.

Anand stated. “There’s a growing inclination among people to self-identify and be depicted in data, enabling them to narrate their own experiences.”

Meeta Anand, Senior Director for Census & Data Equity at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, emphasized the profound emotional impact of this undertaking on individuals. “It’s fundamental to how we perceive ourselves as a society,” Anand stated. “There’s a growing inclination among people to self-identify and be depicted in data, enabling them to narrate their own experiences.”

Under the updated guidelines, inquiries regarding race and ethnicity, previously posed separately on forms, will now be consolidated into a single query. This adjustment offers respondents the flexibility to select multiple categories simultaneously, including options like “Black,” “American Indian,” and “Hispanic.” Research has demonstrated that many Hispanic individuals grapple with how to respond to the race question when presented separately, often perceiving race and ethnicity as interchangeable concepts. Consequently, they frequently opt for “some other race” or refrain from answering altogether.

The addition of a Middle Eastern and North African category to race and ethnicity inquiries expands the range of choices available. Individuals with roots in regions such as Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, and Syria, who were previously encouraged to identify as white, now have the opportunity to align themselves with this new classification. Findings from the 2020 census, which encouraged respondents to provide more detailed background information, indicate that 3.5 million individuals identify with the Middle Eastern and North African category.

“It feels validating to be accurately represented,”

State Representative Anna Eskamani of Florida, a Democrat from Orlando with Iranian heritage, expressed her appreciation for the newfound visibility. “It feels validating to be accurately represented,” Eskamani remarked. “During my upbringing, my family would often select the ‘white’ category due to a lack of alternatives that resonated with our heritage. Having a category that reflects our background is profoundly meaningful.”

Furthermore, the revisions eliminate outdated terms such as “Negro” and “Far East,” now considered derogatory, as well as the labels “majority” and “minority,” which fail to encapsulate the intricate racial and ethnic composition of the nation. The updated guidelines also encourage the collection of detailed race and ethnicity data beyond the minimum standards, enabling respondents to specify identities such as “Haitian” or “Jamaican” in addition to selecting “Black.”

Combining individuals from diverse backgrounds into singular race and ethnicity categories, as seen in the grouping of Japanese and Filipino under the Asian classification, often obscures disparities in areas like income or health. Advocates argue that disaggregating data by subgroups will facilitate the identification and analysis of such disparities, leading to more targeted interventions and policies.

“Allison Plyer, chief demographer of The Data Center in New Orleans, underscores the significance of disaggregating data, emphasizing its utility in discerning various forms of discrimination, facilitating the enforcement of antidiscrimination laws, and conducting research on public health and economic outcomes.”

“The formulation of these revised standards spanned over two years, spearheaded by a cadre of federal statisticians and bureaucrats who strive to maintain a nonpartisan stance. However, the ramifications of these changes extend far beyond bureaucratic realms, impacting legislative redistricting, civil rights legislation, health metrics, and potentially even political dynamics, as the demographic composition shifts with a decrease in the number of individuals categorized as white.”

“The impetus for revising race and ethnicity categories gained traction during the mid-2010s under the Obama administration but faced a hiatus during Trump’s presidency starting in 2017. Resurgence came with the inauguration of Democratic President Joe Biden in 2021.”

“These alterations will reverberate across data collection processes, forms, surveys, and the decennial census questionnaires administered by the federal government. State governments and the private sector are likely to follow suit, given the precedent of aligning with federal guidelines. Federal agencies have been allotted 18 months to devise a plan for implementing these changes.”

“The initial federal standards on race and ethnicity emerged in 1977 with the aim of standardizing data collection across agencies and facilitating the enforcement of civil rights laws. The last update occurred in 1997, delineating five minimum race categories and distinct ethnic classifications as Hispanic or non-Hispanic.”

“The evolution of racial and ethnic categories used by the U.S. government reflects historical contexts. From the addition of categories like ‘Free Colored People’ in 1820 to the inclusion of ‘Mulatto’ in 1850 and the explicit counting of American Indians in 1860, these categories have evolved in response to societal shifts and immigration patterns.”

“However, not all stakeholders endorse the latest revisions. Some Afro-Latinos express concerns that combining the race and ethnicity question may diminish their representation in data.

“However, not all stakeholders endorse the latest revisions. Some Afro-Latinos express concerns that combining the race and ethnicity question may diminish their representation in data. While previous research by the U.S. Census Bureau did not find significant differences in Afro-Latino responses when questions were posed separately or together, individuals like Mozelle Ortiz fear that their identities, encompassing mixed Afro-Puerto Rican heritage, could be erased.”

“Moreover, discontent arises from the omission of certain groups, such as Armenians or Arabs from Sudan and Somalia, in the examples provided to define individuals of Middle Eastern or North African descent. Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute, acknowledges the significance of the new category but underscores the need for inclusivity, lamenting its failure to accurately reflect the racial diversity within the community.”