The Imposition of U.S. Census Racial Categories in Puerto Rico

• In Event: Data Ecologies, Colonialism, and Sovereignty in Puerto Rico

Abstract

This presentation addresses long standing challenges related to the imposition of US census racial categories in Puerto Rico, a limitation that became particularly evident in the 2020 Census, where 78% of respondents identified as “Some Other Race.” Challenges discussed will focus on the new combined question format and the coding system implemented to analyze detailed answers provided under the broader OMB race/ethnic categories. Results from the 2020 census in Puerto Rico are discussed to illustrate how the recently implemented coding system racializes certain nations and geographic regions as “White only” or “Black Only,” while erasing racial differences among Latino populations.

Author

• Isar Godreau, University of Puerto Rico-Cayey