people of color & Chicano (long)

[Frank Abate]

Additional points of info on "Hispanic" and other such terms.  "Hispanic
origin" was used by the U.S. Bureau of the Census for the 1980 and 1990
decennial censuses.  Then the feds conducted a 4-year study and revised the
categories and definitions for "Hispanic" and other racial and ethnic
designations.  Following is from the final recommendations that were used to
develop the questionnaire for the 2000 census, as quoted from the Census
website at: http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/Ombdir15.html

[OMB = Office of Management and Budget, who set the standards for federal
reporting, which the Census follows -- ed.]

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Terminology for Hispanics.--OMB does not accept the recommendation to retain
the single term "Hispanic." Instead, OMB has decided that the term should be
"Hispanic or Latino." Because regional usage of the terms differs --
Hispanic is commonly used in the eastern portion of the United States,
whereas Latino is commonly used in the western portion -- this change may
contribute to improved response rates.

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The full set of revised racial and ethnic categories and definitions used in
federal reporting follow, as quoted from the same site:

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1. Categories and Definitions

The minimum categories for data on race and ethnicity for Federal
statistics, program administrative reporting, and civil rights compliance
reporting are defined as follows:

-- American Indian or Alaska Native. A person having origins in any of the
original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and
who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.

-- Asian. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far
East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example,
Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

-- Black or African American. A person having origins in any of the black
racial groups of Africa. Terms such as "Haitian" or "Negro" can be used in
addition to "Black or African American."

-- Hispanic or Latino. A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,
South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of
race. The term, "Spanish origin," can be used in addition to "Hispanic or
Latino."

-- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. A person having origins in any
of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

-- White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe,
the Middle East, or North Africa.

Respondents shall be offered the option of selecting one or more racial
designations. Recommended forms for the instruction accompanying the
multiple response question are "Mark one or more" and "Select one or more."
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Frank Abate