Press Release nr00-31
Press Release · Tuesday, February 8, 2000

Washington, DC

Washington, DC. . .On Friday, March 17, in honor of the 21st Census, the National Archives will display a page from the 1790 census (the nation's first) showing the name of revolutionary war hero Paul Revere. The special document display will be in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building through April 9.

Every ten years since 1790, as required by the Constitution, the federal government takes a census of the American population. This decennial population count is the basis for apportioning each state's representation in the House of Representatives. April 1, 2000 is Census Day and marks the beginning of Census 2000, the 21st federal census. The U.S. Census Bureau expects to deliver more than 120 million census questionnaires to household in all fifty states and the District of Columbia plus 1.6 million in United States territories.

The document displayed will be a page from the Boston, Massachusetts 1790 Census, featuring Paul Revere in the middle column. The 1790 census asked five questions: the number of free white males over 16 years old, free white males under 16, free white females, other, and number of slaves.

For additional PRESS information, please contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (301) 837-1700 or by e-mail.

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