Part of the American landscape is our changing racial composition. The Census Bureau collects race data in accordance with guidelines
provided by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. These data are
based on self-identification. The racial categories included in the
census questionnaire generally reflect a social definition of race
recognized in this country, and not an attempt to define race
biologically, anthropologically or genetically. In census questionnaires prior to the Census 2000, people were only allowed to select a single racial identification. As of the Census 2000, people could pick any number of racial identifiers, such as
“American Indian” and “White.” People who identify their origin as
Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may also be of any race. Hence comparing pre-Census 2000 to post-Census 2000 race data is generally discouraged given the vastly different measurement processes being used.
The U.S. Census Bureau adheres to the Office of Management
and Budget standards on race and ethnicity which guide the Census
Bureau in classifying written responses to the race question as follows:
- White – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
- Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
- American Indian or Alaska Native – A person
having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation
or community attachment.
- Asian – A person having origins in any of
the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan,
Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and
Vietnam.
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
So despite the drastic change in how race was self-defined in the pre- and post- Census 2000 world, I do offer the following glimpse into what this has shown us for changes in minority population composition, in this case for the Greater Utica area. Below are three maps that show block group level minority data for the 1990, 2000, and 2010 censuses. Minority is a term used by demographers that identifies any population that is not white and non-Hispanic. Note the changes you can see between the 1990 and 2000 censuses particularly, since that was the period when the self-definitional process changed. I will post similar maps for the Greater Rome area in the future, and these maps are
available on our MAPS page as well.
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| 1990 Minority Population Greater Utica Area (Click to Enlarge) |
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| 2000 Minority Population Greater Utica Area (Click to Enlarge) |
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| 2010 Minority Population Greater Utica Area (Click to Enlarge) |
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