2 of 4: What Does the Census Have to Do With Racism?

The origins of racism in our country can be traced back to the beginning of the U.S. Census. For centuries, its racial categories established a construct for how we define race. Fortunately, with the advent of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, a shift in how racial data was used began: from division and marginalization to empowerment and protection. Learn more about our imperfect history and the opportunities ahead.