Evaluating Stability and Fluidity of Multiracial Responses in the 2000 and 2010 Census

Sonya Rastogi, U.S. Census Bureau
James Noon, U.S. Census Bureau
Ellen Zapata, U.S. Census Bureau
Nicholas A. Jones, U.S. Census Bureau

Many studies have found that multiracial identity and identification is fluid and situational (Doyle and Kao 2007, Harris and Sim 2002, Hitlin et. al 2006, Rockquemore and Arend 2003, Terry and Winston 2010). This study seeks to improve understanding of the fluid and situational nature of multiracial identity longitudinally. Utilizing race responses from matched data between Census 2000 and 2010 Census, this study will evaluate individuals who report multiple races in one census but report a single race in another despite the opportunity to select multiple categories in both censuses.