US updates how it collects data by race, ethnicity
- Middle Eastern and North African category added to race/ethnicity questions
- Statistician: Updates improve federal programs’ service to diverse America
- Changes will also strike Negro, Far East from federal forms
FILE – An envelope containing a 2020 census letter mailed to a U.S. resident is seen, April 5, 2020, in Detroit. For the first time in 27 years, the U.S. government on Thursday, March 28, 2024, changed how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity, an effort that federal officials believe will more accurately count residents who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
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(NewsNation) — For the first time in 27 years, people of Middle Eastern and North African descent will be able to add themselves into a distinct group for government data collection in an effort to label and define the people of the United States.
The Office of Management and Budget announced Thursday that its goal is to more accurately count residents, including those who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage.
Under the revisions, questions about race and ethnicity previously asked separately on forms will be combined into a single question, allowing respondents to choose multiple categories — such as Black, American Indian and Hispanic.
A Middle Eastern and North African category will be added to the choices available for questions about race and ethnicity. Previously, people who descended from countries like Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, and Syria were encouraged to identify as white. They’ll now have the option to identify themselves in the new group.
According to the 2020 census, which asked respondents to elaborate on their backgrounds, the data suggests that 3.5 million residents identify as Middle Eastern and North African.
“These revisions will enhance our ability to compare information and data across federal agencies, and also to understand how well federal programs serve a diverse America,” said Karin Orvis, the United States’ chief statistician.
The Associated Press reports the changes will remove Negro and Far East from federal forms, and the terms majority and minority, because they fail to reflect the nation’s complex racial and ethnic diversity, some officials said.
Additionally, the revisions encourage the collection of detailed race and ethnicity data beyond the minimum standards, such as Haitian or Jamaican for someone who checks Black, according to The Associated Press.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.