Revue européenne des migrations internationales, vol. 21 - n°2 | 2006

In 1997, the United States’ federal guidelines on racial classification were amended to permitindividual respondents to identify themselves as members of more than one race. This measure,taken at the urging of a vocal community of mixed-race individuals and organizations, was seenby many as having important consequences. In this article I examine the predictions about theimpact of multiple-race classification, and assess how accurate they have proved to be. I concludehowever that neither the hopes nor fears associated with multiracial recognition have beenrealized. Instead, the most important legacy of the recognition of mixed-race America is likely tobe its contribution to the debate about classifying a much larger segment of the population: theHispanic community. La classification multiraciale dans le recensement américain : mythe, réalité et impact futur.Multiracial Classification on the United States Census Revue européenne des migrations internationales, vol. 21 n°2 | 200621