United States Census of 1940
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| United States Census of 1940 | |
|---|---|
| Name | United States Census of 1940 |
| Country | United States |
| Date | 1940 |
| Population | 132164569 |
| Percent change | 7.3% |
| Previous census | 1930 United States census |
| Next census | 1950 United States census |
United States Census of 1940 was the sixteenth decennial census of the United States and recorded a resident population of 132,164,569, reflecting social shifts during the Great Depression, the interwar period following World War I, and the prelude to World War II. Conducted under the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt and directed by the Census Bureau with involvement from agencies influenced by the New Deal and coordination with state authorities such as California and New York. Its questions and methods were shaped by debates in the United States Congress and policies emerging from the Social Security Act and federal relief programs like the Works Progress Administration.
Background and preparation
Preparations were overseen by the Census Bureau director appointed during the Roosevelt administration and involved consultations with statisticians from institutions such as Harvard University, Columbia University, University of Chicago, and the Carnegie Corporation. Planning responded to legislative mandates from the United States Constitution and statutes enacted by the United States Congress while accounting for population movements tied to events like the Dust Bowl, migrations involving regions including Oklahoma and Texas, and policy responses from agencies such as the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. Technical preparations included enumeration district mapping influenced by urban planners from Chicago and rural surveys informed by researchers affiliated with the Social Science Research Council and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Enumeration and methodology
Enumerators were recruited using mechanisms involving local officials in counties across states such as California, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, and trained with materials reflecting methods from the Office of Education and the National Resources Planning Board. The 1940 schedule introduced questions on subjects developed in consultation with scholars from Princeton University and Yale University and added sampling techniques related to research by demographers at Johns Hopkins University and economists associated with Columbia University. Enumeration procedures used door-to-door interviews similar to those employed in prior censuses including the 1930 decennial and incorporated sample-based items influenced by survey methodology debates involving the American Statistical Association. Challenges arose in counting populations in urban centers like New York City, industrial regions such as Detroit and Pittsburgh, and in rural Appalachia, with logistical support from state agencies like the New York State Department of Health and local governments in municipalities.
Population and demographic results
The census reported a national population of 132,164,569 and documented regional distributions highlighting growth in states such as California, Texas, and Florida, while some Midwestern and Northeastern localities experienced slower growth. Detailed tabulations included data on age, sex, race, and household composition with findings relevant to scholars studying migration from the South to cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, the movement of agricultural laborers from Arkansas and Mississippi, and urbanization trends in Philadelphia and Cleveland. Racial categories used in the census reflected contemporary federal policies and affected communities including African Americans migrating during the Great Migration, Native peoples in territories and states such as Oklahoma and Alaska Territory, and immigrant populations concentrated in ethnic neighborhoods near ports like New York Harbor and San Francisco Bay. The results informed political processes involving reapportionment for the United States House of Representatives and redistricting in legislatures of states such as California and New York.
Economic and social statistics
The 1940 census collected economic data on employment, occupation, and income that influenced analyses by economists at institutions like Harvard University, Columbia University, and University of Chicago and by agencies including the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve System. Questions on employment status, occupation classifications tied to industries in centers such as Detroit (automotive manufacturing) and Pittsburgh (steel), and income distribution provided baseline measures during recovery policies associated with the New Deal and the Social Security Act administration. Social statistics captured housing information—owner-occupancy and dwelling characteristics—affecting urban policy discussions in municipalities such as Chicago and New York City and informing planners from institutions like the Regional Plan Association and New Deal agencies including the Public Works Administration.
Impact, uses, and controversies
Results from the census were used for federal program administration by the Social Security Administration and for wartime mobilization planning by agencies such as the War Production Board and later by Department of Defense planners, influencing labor allocation in wartime industries in cities like Seattle and Los Angeles. Political actors in the United States Congress, state legislatures, and city governments employed the data for reapportionment and funding formulas, impacting representation in bodies including the United States House of Representatives and state assemblies in places like California. Controversies arose over racial classifications, privacy concerns echoed by civil liberties advocates associated with organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, and debates over sampling and statistical inference raised by members of the American Statistical Association and academic critics from Princeton University and Yale University.
Preservation and access to records
Original enumeration schedules and microfilm were preserved by the National Archives and Records Administration and copies held in repositories including state archives in New York and California and research libraries like the Library of Congress and university collections at institutions such as Harvard University and University of Michigan. Access policies were shaped by archival practice and privacy statutes enacted by the United States Congress and archival standards used by the National Archives and Records Administration. Researchers in demography, history, and social sciences from institutions like Columbia University, University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins University have relied on these records for studies on migration, labor markets, and demographic change.