Final answer:
The U.S. government formally recognizes five races: White/Caucasian, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. 'Hispanic or Latino' is considered an ethnicity, not a race.
Step-by-step explanation:
The U.S. government recognizes four categories of race for data collection purposes. These racial categories are:
- White/Caucasion - This category includes individuals with origins in Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
- Black or African American - This refers to people having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
- American Indian or Alaska Native - This category includes individuals with origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America, including Central America, and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment.
- Asian - This includes individuals with origins from the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent.
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander - This pertains to people who have origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
Additionally, the term Hispanic or Latino is often used as an ethnicity, not a race, referring to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.