That means that there are now 126 federally recognized categories people can use to identify themselves. On the surface, the changes seem little more than overdue recognition of America's diversity and changing attitudes on race. But because the nation's racial composition influences decisions about medical research, political redistricting and civil rights enforcement, some employers, civil rights advocates and government officials are nervous about the new data's possible effects. Figures on America's racial makeup help assess society's progress and shape decision making on myriad issues. Educators evaluate student performance, develop curricula and modify teaching methods using race data.
Medical researchers use the information to compare illness and disease rates.
Discrimination in housing, employment and financial services are all measured with racial statistics. And race is one of the factors used to draw up political boundaries. Preliminary Census 2000 figures put the nation's Hispanic population at 35.3 million, up from 22.4 million in 1990. Most researchers had expected the Hispanic population to match or surpass African Americans by the year 2005. But the new census figures indicate that might happen sooner.