Census 2000 Plan Rights Old Wrongs

Sat., Aug. 7, 1999

By Rebecca Nappi rebeccan@spokesman.com (509) 459-5496

Census 2000 workers who try to accurately count the number of Native Americans will be knocking on doors toting more than their briefcases. They will be carrying the history of the relationship between non-Indian government types and the Indians. That history does not include much trust.

In 1860, Indians were finally counted as a separate population.

And it wasn’t until 1960 that people could identify themselves as Indians to census workers. Up until that time, census workers made the call. Who knows how many Native people remained uncounted because of that subjectivity?

In 1990, 12.2 percent of Indians living on reservations were missed altogether by the Census Bureau. Tribes lost out on federal funds and also lost some of the pride that comes with knowing a tribe is growing and thriving. Accurate numbers also help tribes gain political and lobbying power.

As Census 2000 approaches, smart steps are being taken to help change this history. The Census Bureau is holding several meetings throughout the country to brainstorm solutions to the undercounting problem. And to also figure out the best ways to garner cooperation on the reservations when census workers come calling.

Indian census workers are acting as liaisons with the tribes, urging cooperation as the countdown begins. Lynn Palmanteer-Holder, a Colville Tribe member, has been in contact, in person, with tribes throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The travel’s been grueling but with some good payoffs. The people she meets trust her; many know her family and, most importantly, they listen to her about the importance of participating in the census.

Another smart decision: Census takers will go door-to-door on most reservations to get the forms filled out in a personal interview. This one-on-one contact should guarantee more cooperation. And the goal of hiring tribe members to do the counts should also help eliminate the 1990 undercount problem. The Kalispels and Colvilles estimate the undercount 10 years ago might have been as high as 50 percent!

Continued dialogue, cooperation and being mindful of past mistakes will be required for the Census 2000 plan to work. This new way of counting Indian populations will take more time, energy and money. But the federal government, and the tribes, can’t afford not to make it work much better in 2000.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.