why did the US government begin gathering census data on race?
112089
Most of the data is analyzed to see different wages, marital status, education levels in conjunction with race. This helps in future planning on what programs to use to reach forexample minority groups that do not have as much access to certain things like education and health.
342247
Every 10 years, for the US at least, the government sends out a questionaire to every house in America.  It asks you to fill out things such as number of residents, income, etc.  This gives the government most of the important information about the country.\n\nHowever, this clearly mis-represents two types of people: the ones that don't answer, and the ones that don't have a home address to send a census form to.  As such, the US Census bureau also makes use of statistical modeling of urban areas.  In the poorer areas of a city, the Census Bureau actually sends people around to count up how many people there are.  Sure, they may get some people twice, but they're probably missing just as many, if not more people.  They then use statistical modeling to project what the population of that city is.  Census takers also go door to door to make sure people have filled out their census forms.  The Census Burueau tries to get as much accurate information as possible, as such, its forbidden by law to share some of the information that it recieves that might get people arrested.  This way, they can count things like illegal immigrants and people who don't pay taxes.
389521
Actually, this is legit. The Gov't requires every single person within the borders to be counted every ten years, but in addition to this, there is a census every year that goes to a small and random sampling of people to get info on race, kids, etc, to make sure that the right amount of gov't aids and services are going to the right areas. \n\nI got one and thought it was a scam, so I trashed it...then the census lady showed up and demanded to come in, but I wouldn't let her, and she threatened me. I got her business card and told her to get the hell off my property. I called her office and ratted her out...and it turns out it was all legit...but I did get her in trouble. They have the right by law to collect this data, but they don't have the right to harrass you...but if you don't send it in soon, there might be someone knocking on your door too.
91118
Racial profiling has no benefits. The statistics may be very useful but "profiling", NOT!
579712
I worked for the census as an enumerator back in 1990. The best reason to participate is that census data is used to make numerous decisions about federal funding. If you want your community to get it's fair share of the federal pie, fill out the census so you are counted.\n\nIf you are worried about confidentiality, the penalties are quite severe for revealing census data - it's a felony punishible by up to five years in the federal pen. And most census data is so boring that it all blends together in most cases. I think I remember 3 or 4 forms I did when I was a census taker, and those because they were either really good or really bad.
346844
Personally I think that it is fine. there is nothing wrong with either race. Society (including the government) is trying preserve racial purity, because if the races mix, it makes categorizing what race you are imposable. which is in my opinion a good thing, because that leads to racial equality.\n\nFYI I am white, and I married a black woman.
28926
The US Census Bureau has tons of info on cities, states, poverty, homelessness, etc.
424437
This is true in the United States, on a percentage basis of their total population.\nSome correlation can be found in educational opportunity and income.  Other correlation can be found in lopsided enforcement statistics indicating racial profiling.  Some causes can be found in media influences.\n\nThere is no science that can be brought to bear on social problems, so we thrash about with theories and theories, and no real results-based analysis is ever done.  (Same as education problems, see this week's Time Magazine, Apr 17)\nThis country was born with a defect of racial injustice, and although legally this defect has been removed, it still has not healed.
188552
You can look up the information on the US census site: http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPeople?_submenuId=people_10&_sse=on\n\nYou can find distribution of different ethnic backgrounds by state.
207473
The census now allows you to check more than one box. I agree with that concept because people should be allowed to embrace and declare their whole selves. If I had to fill out a form that asked my "race" and did not specify the option of marking more than one box, I would choose "other".
930636
At one time there was a "scientific" discipline called Anthropometry, in other words "the measure of man".  People thought that by getting measurements of people they could be classified into various racial types and sub-types.  The rise and fall of this pseudo-science is described in the first reference below.  After much study, science has switched to trying to understand the similarities and differences between various human populations using genetics.  Mitochondrial DNA is only inherited from your mother, and mutations of these chromosomes has been shown to shed light on the radiation of modern humans out of Africa (2Nd ref.)  Also, the Human Genome Project has pretty much ended race studies as such - human similarity vastly outweighs difference.
501556
Here's USA 2000 census info.
984667
Well, in the south back in the late 1800's and early 1900's, they used to have intelligence tests and a poll tax that would keep most blacks away.  You could also set up polling places too far away from where they live, or put too few machines in making the wait too long.
1037901
Immigration records are available since about 1930 or so now.  Web sites like Genealogy.com specialize in presenting this sort of info.
38864
You can find that sort of information on a government demographics webpage.  Just google it.
491146
Good question.\n\nI'd like to think that it's because the Caucasian race originated to the USA from England, and England ruled them with a pompous and ignorant heavy hand.
202543
There is a such thing as "race". It is a way to identify yourself, so you can be categorize for no necessary reason.  You can be White (race) and be Russian, Swedish, Polish, Jewish (ethnicity), but your race is still White. Just like you be can Black, and be Haitian, African, Jamaican.  Affirmative action intentions in the beginning were not the same as it is used today.  Is it still necessary? YES!!! because jobs are not available to everyone equally, despite experience. It's not just a way to help Blacks or Hispanics, it helps women too. However, it has its faults and setbacks, and should be improved upon.