Measurement Issues in Statistics Based on the 'Some Other Race' Category

• Activity Number: 421
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 3, 2010 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Frank Hobbs*+ and Nicholas Jones and Roberto Ramirez
• Companies: U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Census Bureau
• Keywords: race ; Hispanic

Abstract

Statistical data on race have existed in the U.S. statistical system since its beginning. Well into the 20th century, such data were often limited to White and Nonwhite, or White, Black, and Other. Rapid Asian and Latin American immigration since 1970, plus increases in interracial and interethnic families complicated the measurement of data on race. Federal statistics do not include Hispanic as a race, but as a separate concept (ethnicity). Therefore, Hispanics may be any race, yet Hispanics often do not identify as one of the official races. In 1970, less than 1 million people identified as Some Other Race, but by Census 2000, people reporting Some Other Race alone or with another race had grown to 18.5 million. This paper identifies and explains issues regarding Some Other Race data from collection through dissemination and offers possible future paths to explore in the next decade.