TABLE 1.

Census race categories, 1850–1990 [(31), pp. 144–45]

Year	White	Black/ Negro	Native peoples	Chinese	Japanese	Other Asian or Pacific Islander	Other
1850^a		Black, mulatto
1860^a		Black, mulatto	Indian^b
1870	White	Black, mulatto	Indian	Chinese
1880	White	Black, mulatto	Indian	Chinese
1890	White	Black, mulatto, quadroon, octoroon	Indian	Chinese	Japanese
1900	White	Black	Indian	Chinese	Japanese
1910	White	Black	mulatto	Indian	Chinese	Japanese	Other (+ write in)
1920	White	Black, mulatto	Indian	Chinese	Japanese	Filipino, Hindu, Korean	Other (+ write in)
1930^c	White	Negro	Indian	Chinese	Japanese	Filipino, Hindu, Korean	Other races, spell out in full
1940	White	Negro	Indian	Chinese	Japanese	Filipino, Hindu, Korean	(Other races, spell out in full)
1950	White	Negro	American Indian	Chinese	Japanese	Filipino	(Other race—spell out)
1960	White	Negro	American Indian	Chinese	Japanese	Filipino, Hawaiian, part Hawaiian, etc.
1970^d	White	Negro or Black	Indian (American)	Chinese	Japanese	Filipino, Hawaiian, Korean	Other (print race)
1980	White	Black or Negro	Indian (American), Eskimo, Aleut	Chinese	Japanese	Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, Asian Indian, Hawaiian, Guamanian, Samoan	Other (specify)
1990	White	Black or Negro	Indian (American), Eskimo, Aleut	Chinese	Japanese	Filipino, Hawaiian, Korean, Vietnamese, Asian Indian, Samoan, Guamanian, other Asian or Pacific Islander	Other race

In 1850 and 1860, free persons were enumerated on the form for “free inhabitants”; slaves were enumerated on the form designated for “slave inhabitants.” For the free schedule, the instructions told the enumerators: “In all cases where the person is white leave the space blank in the column marked ‘Color.’” For the slave schedule, the listed categories were black (B) or mulatto (M).

Although this category was not listed on the census form, the instruction read:

5. Indians—Indians not taxed are not to be enumerated. The families of Indians who have renounced tribal rule, and who under State or Territorial laws exercise the rights of citizens, are to be enumerated. In all such cases write “Ind.” opposite their names, in column 6, under heading “Color.”

9. Color—Under heading 6, entitled “Color.” In all cases where the person is white leave the space blank; in all cases where the person is black without admixture insert the letter “B”; if a mulatto, or of mixed blood, write “M;” if an Indian, write “Ind.” It is very desirable to have these directions carefully observed.

In 1930, the census questionnaires included “Mexican” as a race category.

In 1970, on questionnaires used in Alaska, the categories “Aleut” and “Eskimo” were substituted for “Hawaiian” and “Korean.”