Census Statistics of the Negro: A Paper

An analysis of U.S. racial statistics argues that the Census Bureau supplies the principal data for studying race, but that classification and enumeration practices produce systematic errors: four census classes (native white of native parents, native white of foreign parents, foreign-born white, and non-Caucasians) roughly map to economic strata, and reporting accuracy declines down the scale, as evidenced by age-reporting mistakes and higher omission rates among Black residents. The essay reviews past census treatment of mixed-race categories, estimates mulatto proportions near one-eighth to one-ninth, criticizes the 1890 subdivision effort, and recommends consistent questioning to monitor changes.