U.S. Census 2000 Classification |
09/13/1999
U.S. Census Bureau Reply from Statistical Information Staff
[to: Assyrians@atour.com]
We recently received an e-mail message from The State of Assyria (atour@atour.com) on your
behalf regarding the classification of people of Assyrian and Chaldean descent.
There are two issues to be addressed. The first concerns which of the
possible write-in responses will be included in the category about which you have
expressed interest. The answer is straightforward -- we have not made changes to the
list of ancestry groups that will be coded under this category. They remain the same
as in 1990.
The second issue concerns how that category will be labeled. The decision to change
the label for the 1990 category of 'Assyrian' to 'Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac' for Census
2000 was based on extensive research and consultations conducted by the Census Bureau in
the past several months. We undertook these activities in response to requests from
both Assyrian and Chaldean representatives of the community.
Our research indicated that 'Chaldean' can be regarded as an ethnic designation and not
solely a religious group. In addition, the Census Bureau conducted a number of
meetings at the Census Bureau, as well as in Chicago and Detroit, with members of the
Assyrian and Chaldean community to obtain the views of the community. Further, the
Census Bureau conducted a number of conference calls with community leaders representing
organizations such as the Chaldean Diocese of America, the Assyrian Democratic
Organization, and the Assyrian Academic Society of Chicago to obtain the views and
opinions of community leaders.
The outcome was the Census Bureau's acceptance of a proposal, from community leaders and
experts whom we consulted, that the label 'Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac' more accurately
represents the ethnic make up of the Assyrian and Chaldean communities in the U.S. than
retaining the label 'Assyrian' which was used in 1990.
We appreciate your recent e-mail message and interest in Census 2000.
If you have additional questions or concerns about this issue, please contact Kevin
Deardorff, Acting Chief, Ethnic and Hispanic Statistics Branch, by phone at 301-457-2403
or e-mail at kdeardor@census.gov.
Karen D. Johns
pop@census.gov
Statistical Information Staff
Population Division
U.S. Census Bureau
301-457-2422
www.census.gov