Counting Race: How the Census Measures Identity and What Americans Think About It
How the U.S. government measures race has changed substantially since censuses began in 1790. Today, Americans differ on whether the government should ask about race.
Race & Ethnicity
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Race & Ethnicity
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The changing categories the U.S. census has used to measure race
Racial categories, which have been on every U.S. census, have changed from decade to decade, reflecting the politics and science of the times.
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Views of Race, Policing and Black Lives Matter in the 5 Years Since George Floyd’s Killing
Americans have expressed skepticism that attention to racial issues after Floyd’s killing led to changes that improved Black people’s lives.
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Key facts about Asians in the U.S.
The number of Asian Americans grew from 11.9 million in 2000 to 24.8 million in 2023.
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Latinos worry more than other U.S. adults about deportations
About four-in-ten (42%) Hispanic adults say they worry that they or someone close to them could be deported.
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Trump’s Job Rating Drops, Key Policies Draw Majority Disapproval as He Nears 100 Days
Trump’s approval rating stands at 40%, and Americans mostly disapprove of his tariffs and government cuts.
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119th Congress brings firsts for women of color
In the Senate, two Black women are serving concurrently for the first time. And in the House, two states and one U.S. territory elected their first Black, Hispanic or Pacific Islander woman lawmaker.
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Immigrants and children of immigrants make up at least 15% of 119th Congress
In total, at least 80 lawmakers are foreign born or have at least one parent who was born in another country, including 61 in the House and 19 in the Senate.
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A look at Black-owned businesses in the U.S.
While Black-owned businesses have grown significantly in the U.S. in recent years, they still make up a small share of overall firms and revenue.
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Key facts about the U.S. Black population
Utah experienced the fastest growth in its Black population between 2010 and 2023, with an increase of 89%.
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Facts About the U.S. Black Population
Key statistics and data about the demographic, geographic and economic characteristics of the U.S. Black population.
