Library Guides: Primary Sources in African-American History: African Americans in the Census

U.S. Census - Special Considerations

Negro, Black and African-American Census Reports
by Marie Concannon Last Updated Jul 8, 2024 9349 views this year

The above library guide, created in 2017, is your best go-to source for finding census data related to African Americans. During the period of slavery, enslaved persons were counted as property and thus, included on different types of census documents. Racial classifications of persons also changed over time, adding different challenges. This guide brings together the different census documents that have counted African Americans over the years.

American FactFinder
The best and most authoritative source for current (2000-forward) population, housing and business data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Recommended: choose "Guided Search" and follow the screens. You will choose from a list of topics, then select your preferred geography, then RACE/ETHNIC GROUP. This path will enable you to find tables on socio-economic variables that show data for the race group of your choice.
Bureau of the Census Catalog of Publications, 1790-1972
This comprehensive, annotated bibliography of historic census publications includes detailed content descriptions. Discover any publication that gave race or slave statistics by using the "Search in this Text" feature in HathiTrust, and entering such words as COLOR, RACE, SLAVES or SLAVERY. Ellis Librarians can help guide you to any item found in this Catalog.
Census Data Guide
Covers all dates and all censuses. Guide created by Sandy Schiefer, Ellis Library Government Documents and Data Services Librarian.
Decennial censuses -- 1970, 1980
Go to the third floor, east side of Ellis Library and look for the call number HA 201. This is where we keep paper copies of older censuses. These are the best bet for finding tables that show socioeconomic variables with race breakdowns.
Diversity and Disparities
Census information compiled at the portal describes the racial-ethnic diversity of U.S. states, metropolitan and micropolitan areas, counties, and places (e.g., cities, suburbs, small towns) for the 1980-2010 period. This information can be accessed in three ways. A summary measure of diversity (the entropy index), panethnic group counts and proportions, and simple compositional graphics are available on a case-by-case basis via pull-down menus.
Historical Statistics of Black America
Many Census Bureau tables specifically concerning African Americans are reprinted in this source. Very easy and convenient to use.