posted on January 21, 2003 04:08:12 PM new
WASHINGTON -- Hispanics have surpassed blacks as the nation's largest minority group, the Census Bureau said today.
The Latino population grew to 37 million in July 2001, up 4.7 percent from April 2000. The black population increased 2 percent during the same period, to 36.1 million.
The estimates are the Census Bureau's first statistics on race and ethnicity since results from the 2000 census were released two years ago.
Census Bureau demographer Roberto Ramirez said it has long been expected that Hispanics would someday surpass blacks because their birth and immigration rates are higher.
"And the trend shows it will clearly be increasing more in the future," Ramirez said.
Hispanics now comprise nearly 13 percent of the U.S. population, which grew to
284.8 million in July 2001. That's up from 35.3 million, or 12.5 percent of the country's 281.4 million residents in April 2000.
Blacks make up 12.7 percent of the nation's population, up from 12.6 percent in April
2000. The black population grew by 700,000 in the 15 months after the census was released.
Whites remained the largest single population group, numbering about 199.3 million in July 2001, nearly 70 percent of all U.S. residents.
Asians are the next largest minority group after blacks and Hispanics, at about 12.1 million, or 4 percent of the population.
A breakdown by state was not released.
The 2000 census, for the first time, allowed people to check off more than one racial category, increasing the number of possible choices for racial origin from five in 1990 to 63.
A separate question also asks if someone is of Hispanic ethnicity. The federal government considers "Hispanic" an ethnicity instead of a race, so people of Hispanic ethnicity can be of any race.
Population figures for black, white and Asian refer to those who are not Hispanic.
posted on January 21, 2003 06:25:04 PM new
This population shift is a recipe for disasterous civil strife, unless we can somehow defy history and human nature so that the transition goes smoothly.
posted on January 21, 2003 06:35:12 PM new
What a great link Helen, it'll come in handy in class... thanks!
I've always found it puzzling that census and other counts attempt to consider "hispanic" as a racial designation. In order to do that, they must specifically exclude white, black and asian "hispanics", which leaves only those "hispanics" apparently who fit the white definition of "hispanic"...black hair and brown skin...in reality anyone who belongs to or comes from a Spanish speaking culture (whether they currently speak Spanish or not) is considered "hispanic" by "hispanics", although the word is not often used by "hispanics" themselves..Vicente Fox Quesada is the descendent of an Irish Grandfather, most assuredly "hispanic" and also white, but in this country he would not be allowed to check the form "hispanic"...Neither would Alberto Fujimori, a born and raised Spanish speaking Japanese-Peruvian "hispanic", neither would Orlando Cepeda, the black Puerto Rican baseball great "hispanic"....Counting "hispanics" in this manner is ridiculous.
posted on January 21, 2003 07:58:18 PM new
The govt only provides the box to check-off. The only "rule" regarding what "race" you are is that the race be what you consider youself to be. The hispanic asian can check off the hispanic or the asian, or mixed, or none of the above - or he can check-off white if that is what he considers himself to be.
All "races" have the same problem when attempts are made to pigeon hole the individual. Many "whites" have Native American blood, as do blacks have white and Native American blood.
Geneticists scoff at the whole idea of different "races", other than the human race.
posted on January 21, 2003 08:31:38 PM new
Wow! People are very sensitive about their language. On the Donohue show now, there is a heated argument about the official US language. With the increasing number of Spanish speaking people moving here,I imagine this will be a major problem in many schools throughout the country. I was reading that in some schools, most students cannot speak English in first grade.
Can you imagine being a little child attending school in a foreign country and not being able to speak the language?
posted on January 21, 2003 09:13:00 PM new
"All "races" have the same problem when attempts are made to pigeon hole the individual"
Reamond, I'm sure they do. I was speaking from a Latino perspective, as it the the one with which I am personally familiar..the whole idea of counting races is silly.
helen, actually, in my experience, the kindergarten through about 2nd grade non English speakers have a much easier and faster time adjusting than their older siblings. Although it's a heated debate among linguists,neurologists and other brainy types,there is a theory that the brain actually creates neural pathways conducive to language aquisition from birth to the age of 8 or 10, after which time additional language aquisition is dependent upon memory, rather than "hard wiring".Once the little ones get over their fear of new surroundings and make a few friends, they pick up English like little sponges. It can be real tough for 5th graders on up...
posted on January 21, 2003 10:57:15 PM new
If you want to get technical about it, Bear, "whites" are now a "minority" in many (major) California counties, although they are not viewed/treated as such.
Like my Grandpappy always said: "Hundred years, all new people!"
