The decennial census has been conducted every 10 years since 1790, almost always in the midst of some controversy. Then President George Washington, conferring with his Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, concluded that the count of 3.9 million for the nation was too low.
While the census has evolved from those early days of the republic, the controversies remain, given the fact that the census is key to the distribution of political power and dollars.
Joseph J. Salvo’s 7:30 pm Zoom talk on November 2 will focus on controversies surrounding the 2020 Census and the impact of the current social and political climate on the conduct of the 24th enumeration of the nation’s population.
Mr. Salvo is New York City’s Chief Demographer. He has testified before Congress, been an advisor to the Census Bureau, served on panels at the National Academy of Sciences, and was an expert witness in the citizenship lawsuit headed by the New York Attorney General.
Dr. Salvo is presently participating in a national effort to monitor and evaluate the 2020 Census and the use of methods to protect the confidentiality of census data while protecting its utility for data users.
Most recently, he was engaged as an expert in the lawsuit by the New York Attorney General aimed at pushing back on the administration’s efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from the 2020 Census count.
Residents will receive a Zoom invitation from Jeff O’Donnell in advance of the lecture.