Upcoming Census
Hello,
I would like to pass on an article that was published in the e-zine of PolishRoots(R) called Gen Dobry. The article stressed the importance of answering the 2010 US Census with a persons true ethnicity. The article is below in its entirety.
*** THE 2010 CENSUS: DON’T BE RACE-LESS! ***
[Editor — Debbie Greenlee posted this note on the Poland-Roots list. She said it was suggested by C. Michael Eliasz from another list and passed along with permission; but the names are from Debbie’s family.]
The U.S. census will be starting soon. Among the questions is #9, which asks your race. If you do not match any of the official races they are counting this time, PLEASE pick _Other_ race, and fill-in: “SLAVIC”, POLISH, UKRAINIAN, CZECH, RUSSIAN, LITHUANIAN, SLOVAK, JEWISH or whatever.
This will aid us in studying demographics and also genealogy. Here is how. I know in my family some JAWORSKI became JAYES and some CHOJNACKI became HOYNE, neither of which look Polish. In fact HOYNE is an Irish surname! By selecting _Other Race_: POLISH, for example, you can identify for genealogists and sociologists an ethnicity. This may also have positive ramifications for state/federal funding that may be beneficial for some medical or social agencies.
If a descendant sees “JAYES”, Other Race: POLISH, it may be an indicator to that person that this is an ancestor who changed the name and it might be another clue to support a familial relationship. Of course that descendant may not know if this JAYES was originally a JAWORSKI but it may help if other factors match.
Let’s make it a campaign to fill in question #9. Do not remain ‘race-less’, pick some ethnicity! Pick ‘GENEALOGIST’. Pick something!
This is our Census, stand-up and be counted!
[Editor — In a subsequent posting, Debbie added this:]
Since the 2010 U.S. census will soon be under way, there are a couple of things to consider. Photocopy your form prior to sending it in and put it with your own important papers/documents.
The second suggestion comes from the Polish-American Congress and I urge all of you to follow the suggestion.
Census 2010
During the month of March, the 2010 Census Form will be mailed to every household in the United States. You are asked to complete the 10 question form and mail it back by April 1, 2010. Community leaders who reviewed the sample form, asked why there is not a specific place to write in your ethnicity in question #9; there is simply a block “WHITE”. There should have been a place to allow every participant to complete not only a race block, but a place to list ethnicity, especially because America is a nation of many races and many ethnicities. This issue was brought to the attention of representatives of Census 2010, but was not rectified.
In order to highlight your ethnicity, you can do 2 things: 1) In block #9, check off WHITE and write in your ethnicity. 2) Also, where it states some other race, write in your ethnicity. We realize that race is not ethnicity, but in order to highlight your ethnicity and make a statement, fill in your individual ethnicity as suggested above. Examples: Polish-American, Polish & Irish, Polish & Italian, Irish-American, German-American, Ukrainian-American.
Fill in the Census 2010 Form as soon as you receive it. If you do not complete the form by April 1, 2010, you can expect to be contacted by a census representative.
Written by [Debbie Greenlee, editor]. Previously published by _Gen Dobry!_, Vol. XII, No. 2, 28 February 2010, PolishRoots(R): .
Please pass this information to others. The more details we can provide to the 2010 census, the better for future genealogy researchers.
Best Regards,
Al
