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A
recent article by Sharon Tate Moody CG reminds us that it’s important to
understand the context of created documents and the “lingo” of the times. This is true when it comes to the census and
racial classification ...
Racial classification is an emotional issue for many
Americans. A study of censuses over time shows that these records reflect
society's attitudes and do little to clarify issues for those of mixed racial
ethnicity.
In the first census (1790), the head of the household was
the only person listed by name. Everyone else — whites and free persons of
color — was numerated according to age and sex but without names...
In 1880, the government wanted to know whether citizens
were white, black, mulatto, quadroon, octoroon, Chinese, Japanese or American
Indian. It cautioned enumerators to be "particularly careful to
distinguish between blacks, mulattoes, quadroons or octoroons" and defined
the terms. It said that the word "black" meant those with
three-quarters or more black blood, mulatto was from three-eighths to five-eighths
black blood; quadroon was one-quarter black blood and octoroon was one-eighth
or any trace of black blood...
Read the
full article at Tampa Bay Online.
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