The first US census took place in 1790. This census also marked the beginning of the term “race” in the questionnaires. Enumerators were instructed to write “White”, “Black”, “Mulatto”, “Quadroon”, “Octoroon”, “Chinese”, “Japanese”, or “Indian”. (The later referring to Native Americans).

 

Officially designating non-white individuals as “Other” on the US census form is a practice which serves to diminish individuals who have more complex ethnic/racial ancestry. Although the categories of race have been redefined and expanded since 1970 (and one can now choose multiple boxes) to include more specific categories, the design of the form continues to indicate both hierarchy as well as targeted minority statuses. The gerrymandering which exists today is a legacy of the early US census in which a black man would count as 3/5th of a person. This attitude continues in the form of not counting undocumented residents.

I experienced the shifts in race categories and what was available for me over the span of my life with both relief and continued dismay.

 

Possible project 1: Website where individuals are invited to share their preferred hybrid/complex self-identified race-designations. (I used to call myself Latasian, but have recently given consideration to be more specific and include cultural associations.) This re-naming/self-naming creates an opportunity for a de-colonized linguistics and a great deal of humor. This interactive site would be accompanied by race-multiplicity-naming workshops.

 

Possible project 2: Audio installation – soundscape of individuals new/hybrid race-identities.

 

Possible project 3: New census form with website which includes those undocumented, etc.