Completing the United States Census is a core element of active citizenship. Census numbers impact community funding, representation in Congress, and so much more. And yet, the history of the Census includes barriers to full participation. Although the United States Census is meant to be an unbiased and apolitical part of American democracy, it has been altered by popular opinion and fear numerous times in the past. Race is one such category that has changed consistently since the creation of the census. Gabby Womack examines how mixed-race Americans were erased from the census in 1930 and how it was connected to racial “passing”.
This presentation dives into the stories of “passers,” the creation of race science, passing in pop culture, and the U.S. government’s attempt to stop this practice and erase the nuanced identities of mixed-race people.
