at the Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies

This program was chosen by the U.S. Census Bureau as a designated Census Information Center to assist the federal government in the dissemination of census 2000 data to under-served communities, including establishing partnerships with the international community, media and nonprofit service providers in order to accomplish the goals set forth by the Census Bureau.

Deborah Taylor Tate

Director, State and Local Policy Center

Vanderbilt University Jean & Alexander Heard Library Census page: http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/romans/census.html

Download the Census data in ASCII format from the Census FTP site. [The files are separated by state and include all of the summary levels of geography (state, county, tract, block, etc.)]

--click on the link for "redistricting_file", then "0File_Structure", and "File_Structure_README" for more information.

More information:

• Redistricting of the U.S. House of Representatives:

"The primary reason for the establishment of the decennial census of population is set forth in Article 1, Section 2, of the Constitution.  The Constitution provides for an enumeration of the population to serve as the basis for the apportionment of members of the U.S. House of Representatives among the states, with the provision that each state must have at least one representative.  An apportionment has been made on the basis of each census from 1790 to 1990, except following the census of 1920.

"Calculation of a Congressional apportionment requires three factors--the apportionment population of each state, the number of representatives to be allocated among the states, and a method to use for the calculation."

U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233-0001, "What You Should Know About the Apportionment Counts," Issued December 2000

•  Economic Census:

"The Economic Census provides a detailed portrait of the economy every five years, from the national to the local level.  Results from the 1997 Census will provide information on business operating at more than 21 million locations, giving key information on the number of businesses and employees, the value of shipments, sales, receipts, revenue and payroll.  This advance report is the first in a series of more detailed reports that will follow over the next two years. 

"The 1997 Economic Census is based on the new system known as the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and contains, for the first time, measurement of such key components of the 21st century economy as information, high-tech support services and entertainment sectors, among others.  The NAICS system provides 1,170 detailed U.S. industry classifications or 15 percent more than were available under the old system."

(Presented in a Media Release by Daley, William M., Secretary of Commerce, "Premiere of New Business Classification System," Washington, DC March 16, 1999.)

• The Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (SMOBE) and The Survey of Women-Owned Business Enterprises (SWOBE), U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233-0001, Issued December 1999 EC97CS-PM3 (RV)

"These surveys provide basic economic data on businesses owned by Blacks/African-Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, American Indians and Alaska Natives, persons of Hispanic/Spanish/Latino origin, and women.

"When published, the results will contain summary statistics on the number of minority- and women-owned firms, sales and receipts, annual payroll, and employment.  Data aggregates will be presented at the national level by two-digit standard industrial classification (SIC) code, employment and receipts size, and legal form of organization; and all at the state level by two-digit SIC code."  (see also http://www.census.gov/csd/mwb)

• Redistricting Information. (available at: http://www.census.gov/clo/www/redistricting.html)

• Mid-state Tennessee Economic Indicators. (available at: http://www.mtsu.edu/~berc/publications.html)

• Dr. Green Ekadi, Meharry Census Information Center Director

  http://meharry-vanderbilt.org/mmcfac_news.htm

  (615) 327-5516 or e-mail: gekadi@mmc.edu

• GIS DAY

Co-hosted with Tennessee State University, Fisk University and a local high school, a “GIS DAY” including numerous presentations on Environmental Justice and the use of geo-mapping both for environmental and other issues, especially in neighborhoods primarily inhabited by minorities and/or low income housing.

Past Event:  CIC Training Workshop

Mailing Address:
U.S. Census Bureau
Customer Liaison Office
Federal Office Building 3, Room 3620-3
Washington, DC  20233

Last updated: 05/04/01 AJW