Final answer:
People had to declare their race in the U.S. Census starting in 1790. The racial categories used by the Census have evolved over time, with significant changes such as the allowance for declaring more than one race starting in the 2000 Census, and the unique racial category for Americans of Mexican descent in the 1930 Census.
Step-by-step explanation:
History of Racial Declaration in U.S. Census The U.S. Census has a long history of collecting racial data, reflecting notions of race and ethnicity that have evolved over time. People had to declare their race in a census starting as early as 1790, following the guidelines provided by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Racial categories have changed through the years, indicating shifts in the social definitions of race and government policy. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the Jim Crow era, laws required categorizing individuals as either black or white, often using 'blood laws' that sought to determine racial identity based on ancestry. However, it was not until the 2000 census that people could select more than one racial category to reflect mixed heritage. The 1930 U.S. Census was notable as it was the first and only time that Americans of Mexican descent were recorded as a separate race. This decision was influenced by eugenicist attitudes and economic pressures during the Great Depression. Similarly, racial categories for the Arab population and their classification remain a subject of debate, as seen in the absence of a Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) category in the 2020 Census.