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Showing 1 – 50 of 74 results.
Curated
Partially restricted
Simple Crosstabs

21st Century Americanism: Nationally Representative Survey of the United States Population, 2004 (ICPSR 27601)

Released/updated on: 2015-04-02
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2004-07-12--2004-10-08
The 21st Century Americanism survey was conducted to study (1) the multidimensional nature of American identity ("Americanism"); (2) resentment among Whites toward immigrants, Latinos, and Asians, fueled by perceptions that these groups violate the cherished norms that constitute American identity ("symbolic nativism"); (3) how perceptions of discrimination affect the process of "becoming American" among ethnic minorities ("reactive ethnicity"); and (4) the relationships among these issues and public opinion on policies that address ethnic change. The data collection began in July 2004 and was completed by October 2004. This nationally representative random-digit dial telephone survey has 2,800 respondents and includes oversamples of Blacks, Latinos, and Asians in the United States. It contains questions that allow for the examination of the causes and consequences of two facets of American identity: (1) how people define the normative content of American identity ("identity content"); and (2) the extent to which people think of themselves primarily as American rather than primarily as a member of a pan-ethnic (i.e., Latino or Asian) or national origin group ("identity attachment"). The survey can be used to test hypotheses regarding whether the alleged traditional consensus on what it means to be American is breaking down, or whether people are increasingly rejecting an American identity and instead prioritizing pan-ethnic or national origin identities. It can also be used to examine how these aspects of one's identity affect political attitudes and behaviors, such as trust in government, voting, and one's sense of obligation to the national community. Demographic variables include gender, age, country of origin, United States citizenship status, race, Hispanic origin, and language and educational attainment. Variables focusing on economic characteristics include employment status and household income.
Curated

ABC News "Nightline" Jackie Robinson Poll, February 1997 (ICPSR 2176)

Released/updated on: 2008-04-04
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1997-02-21--1997-02-24
This special topic poll, fielded February 21-24, 1997, sought respondents' views on race relations and on Black athletes and coaches during the 50th anniversary year of Jackie Robinson's entry into major league baseball. Respondents were asked for their assessment of race relations in the United States over the past ten years, and the opportunities or lack thereof that are available to Black high school and college athletes. Those queried were also asked for their views regarding the high numbers of Black professional athletes and the small number of Black professional coaches and managers. The results of the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Nightline" the day the poll was taken. Background information on respondents includes race and sex.
Curated

ABC News "Nightline" Slavery Poll, June 1997 (ICPSR 2495)

Released/updated on: 2008-04-23
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on the role of the current federal government in compensating the descendants of slaves. Those queried were asked whether they believed the federal government should apologize to Black Americans for the history of slavery and whether the government should pay money to Black Americans whose ancestors were slaves. The results of the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Nightline." Background information on respondents includes sex, political party, race, and ethnicity.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs

American Identity and Representation Survey, 2012 (ICPSR 36410)

Released/updated on: 2016-07-22
Geographic coverage: United States

This survey was designed to investigate whether having psychological connections to particular groups (ex: racial, ethnic, and national origin groups) and perceptions of discrimination lead to alienation from the structure and operation of representative democracy in the United States. The data allow for comparative ethnic analyses of people's views regarding the representative-constituent relationship and of the conditions under which group identifications and perceptions of discrimination matter.

The survey includes oversamples of Black, Latino, and Asian respondents. A Spanish version of the survey was available. Demographic information retrieved about respondents include age, race/ethnicity, gender, education (highest degree received), employment status, marital status, religion, household size and income. In addition, ancestry was assessed with the question, "From what countries or parts of the world did your ancestors come?" Respondents also reported United States citizenship status, primary home language, and nationality. Variables focusing on respondent perceived representation in the United States include political ideology and political party affiliation.

Curated

American Mosaic Project Survey, 2003 (ICPSR 28821)

Released/updated on: 2010-12-16
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2003-05-01--2003-07-01
The survey is from the American Mosaic Project, a multiyear, multimethod study of the bases of solidarity and diversity in American life. The survey contains items measuring the place of diversity in visions of American society and in respondents' own lives; social and cultural boundaries between groups and dimensions of inclusion and exclusion; racial and religious identity, belonging and discrimination; opinions about sources of advancement for Whites and African Americans; opinions about immigration and assimilation; diversity in respondents' close-tie network; political identity and demographic information. The survey also includes oversamples of African American and Hispanic respondents, allowing for comparisons across racial/ethnic categories. Demographic variables include race, age, gender, religion, level of education, United States citizenship status, partisan affiliation, and family income. See Appendix: Project Narrative for more information.
Curated

American National Election Study: 1985 Pilot Study (ICPSR 8476)

Released/updated on: 1999-11-02
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1985-11-01--1986-01-01
This study is part of a time-series collection of national surveys fielded continuously since 1952. The election studies are designed to present data on Americans' social backgrounds, enduring political predispositions, social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of groups and candidates, opinions on questions of public policy, and participation in political life. This pilot study was designed to test instrumentation for the 1986 and 1988 National Election Studies. Special content areas emphasized in the pilot are: political knowledge, group membership, identification of elderly (aged 60 and over) Blacks and women with these social groups, attitudes toward racial issues, and opinions on traditional moral values. In order to experiment with question wording and formats, two forms were used in both waves.
Curated

ANES 1964 Time Series Study (ICPSR 7235)

Released/updated on: 2015-11-10
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1964-09-01--1965-02-01
This study is part of a time-series collection of national surveys fielded continuously since 1952. The election studies are designed to present data on Americans' social backgrounds, enduring political predispositions, social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of groups and candidates, opinions on questions of public policy, and participation in political life. A Black supplement of 263 respondents, who were asked the same questions that were administered to the national cross-section sample, is included with the national cross-section of 1,571 respondents. In addition to the usual content, the study contains data on opinions about the Supreme Court, political knowledge, and further information concerning racial issues. Voter validation data have been included as an integral part of the election study, providing objective information from registration and voting records or from respondents' past voting behavior.
Curated

ANES 1968 Time Series Study (ICPSR 7281)

Released/updated on: 2015-11-10
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1968-09-01--1969-02-01
This study is part of a time-series collection of national surveys fielded continuously since 1952. The election studies are designed to present data on Americans' social backgrounds, enduring political predispositions, social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of groups and candidates, opinions on questions of public policy, and participation in political life. A Black supplement of 116 respondents is included with the national cross-section of 1,557 respondents. Additional content areas included in this study were assessment of the respondent's faith in local, state, and national governments, voting on propositions on the ballot, the respondent's attempts to influence others to vote, participation in local school board activities and opinions on local education problems, and placement of political figures on a "feeling thermometer".
Curated

ANES 1970 Time Series Study (ICPSR 7298)

Released/updated on: 2015-11-10
Geographic coverage: United States
This study is part of a time-series collection of national surveys fielded continuously since 1952. The election studies are designed to present data on Americans' social backgrounds, enduring political predispositions, social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of groups and candidates, opinions on questions of public policy, and participation in political life. A Black supplement of 114 respondents is included with the national cross-section of 1,580 respondents. In addition to the usual content, this study included items related to issues of college unrest, government help to minority groups, government action against inflation, and pollution from private industry. The Black respondents were questioned about the formation of a Black political party. This is the first of the national election studies to include respondents 18 to 20 years old and eligible to vote at the time of the interview.
Curated

Black American Perspectives [United States]: The Future of Civil Rights, November 11-25, 1991 (ICPSR 4028)

Released/updated on: 2005-12-15
Geographic coverage: United States
This study sought to gather Black Americans' perspectives on the effectiveness of Civil Rights Organizations (CROs) and to better understand their views on the future of civil rights in the United States. Respondents were asked a series of questions regarding (1) their attachments to CROs, (2) the effectiveness of CROs and related institutions, (3) future programs of CROs, (4) political and racially based attitudes and beliefs, and (5) social, economic, and demographic measures. The CROs inquired about were the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), The Urban League, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Background information on respondents includes age, highest level of education, and income.
Curated

Black History Month (BHM) Programming Survey, United States, 2024-2025 (ICPSR 39671)

Released/updated on: 2026-03-20
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2024-01-01--2025-01-01
The purpose of this study was to explore the current state of BHM programming nationally, develop a model of BHM programming, and operationalize previously identified core library programming competencies. The two main research questions were:
  • what is the state of BHM programming in public libraries, and,
  • how are service area, library organizational, and individual factors associated with the existence and complexity of BHM programming?
Service area variables included region, urbanicity, and the percentage of African American/Black population in the census tract. Library organizational variables included library size, library budget, presence of African American/Black staff, total number of librarians, and size of the library system. Individual variables of the person completing the survey included years as a librarian, length of time at the sampled library, and competencies such as Knowledge of the Community (a psychometrically developed scale) and Cultural Humility (a previously created scale validated with librarians). In addition to the variables above, the questionnaire includes whether the library conducts BHM programming, reasons for not doing so, who plans BHM programming, type of BHM programs, number of programs by age group, percent of African American history programming in February vs throughout the year, awareness and utilization of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History theme, frequency of programming focused on different periods, attitudes about BHM, questions about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and concern about implementing BHM programming in the current political climate. There has never been a systematic study of Black History Month (BHM) programming in public libraries with a nationally representative sample. This study was conducted by the University of Michigan, Program for Research on Black Americans, in partnership with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) and the Public Library Association (PLA). These data will be available starting in September 2026 until then, the data are embargoed.
Curated
Partially restricted
Simple Crosstabs

Black Rural and Urban Caregivers Mental Health/Functioning, Missouri, 1999-2002 (ICPSR 36349)

Released/updated on: 2019-01-28
Geographic coverage: United States, Missouri
Time period: 1999-01-01--2002-01-01

The Black Rural and Urban Caregivers Mental Health/Functioning data collection includes survey data collected in 2000-2002 from African American females age 65 and older, who provide unpaid care for older African American adults in the St. Louis Metropolitan area and seven rural Missouri counties (Butler, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott, and Stoddard).

Because of inadequate recruitment knowledge about rural African American caregivers and persistent reports of challenges when involving African Americans elders in research, this study focused on the involvement of African American rural elders and recruitment of their female informal caregivers in a study of caregivers' well-being and service use. African Americans comprise the largest group of ethnic and racial minority elders aged 65 and older in the U.S. population thus making up one half of all ethnic and racial minority elders. Numerical changes in population size and increasing longevity of older African Americans direct attention to African American informal female caregivers- persons most likely to assist African American elderly with daily living tasks, personal needs, and long-term care. More disabled and chronically ill African American elders portend continuing need from informal or unpaid caregivers for dependent care.

There are two datasets associated with this study, a public-use (da36349-0001) and restricted-use (da36349-0002) version of the same survey data. Both data files contain 521 cases and 1438 variables. However, the restricted file contains continuous as opposed to categorical values for age variables rounded to the nearest whole number.

Curated

CBS News/Black Entertainment Television (BET) Monthly Poll, July 2004 (ICPSR 4154)

Released/updated on: 2005-02-18
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents -- all Blacks/African Americans -- were asked to give their opinions on the 2004 presidential campaign and the candidates, the way the Bush administration was handling certain issues, and the war in Iraq. Questions were asked regarding respondents' confidence that their votes would be accurately counted, whether there was a deliberate attempt to prevent African Americans from voting or having their votes properly counted, how the voting problems reported in Florida in the 2000 presidential election would affect voter turnout, and which candidate had more 'soul'. Respondents were also asked about various issues facing the country, such as how to provide African Americans with more jobs, the best way to help more African Americans go to college, and whether the United States should intervene when crises occur in Africa. Additional questions queried respondents' health behavior, exercise patterns, experiences with low carbohydrate diets, and attitudes toward reinstating the military draft. Background information includes voter registration status, sex, religious preference, education, age, ethnicity, and income.
Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll #2, March 1996 (ICPSR 4509)

Released/updated on: 2008-07-16
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, conducted March 27-28, 1996, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This survey also includes an oversample of African American respondents who participated in the March 20-21, 1996 cohort CBS NEWS MONTHLY POLL #1, MARCH 1996 (ICPSR 4508). Respondents of this poll were asked to give their opinions about President Bill Clinton and his handling of the presidency. Respondents were also asked to give their opinions on various social issues such as whether full equality for African Americans would be obtained in their lifetime, whether full racial integration was favored, the condition of race relations in the United States, and the degree of change that had occurred regarding the position of African Americans as a whole. A series of questions solicited respondents' opinions about the Million Man March that took place in Washington DC in October of 1995. These questions addressed whether the Million Man March was a good idea and whether it had a major influence in the African American community. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of several Black leaders such as Colin Powell, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan, and Jesse Jackson. A series of questions were also posed regarding Louis Farrakhan and included questions that addressed whether the views of Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam reflected those of African Americans, whether Farrakhan was a positive force in the African American community, whether Farrakhan was prejudiced against White and Jewish people, whether respondents approved of Farrakhan's trip overseas, and whether respondents approved of the meeting Farrakhan had with Iraqi leader Saddham Hussein. Demographic variables include sex, race, age, household income, education level, type of residential area (e.g. urban or rural), political party affiliation, political party philosophy, and religious preference.
Curated

Census of Population and Housing, 1980 [United States]: County Population by Age, Sex, Race, and Spanish Origin (ICPSR 8108)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: United States
This data collection contains summary statistics from the 1980 Census recorded for all counties and all independent cities in the United States. The file includes counts of persons by single years of age (up to 75+ years) by sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Twenty-one Hispanic/racial groups are reported for each geographic area. These groups are total population, Hispanic (plus subgroups of white, Black, American Indian, Asian Indian, other specified, and other nonspecified Hispanic), non-Hispanic (including subgroups of white, Black, American Indian, Asian Indian, other specified, and other nonspecified non-Hispanic), white, Black, American Indian, Asian Indian, other specified, and other nonspecified. The file is sorted by county within each state.
Curated
Partially restricted

Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), 2001-2003 [United States] (ICPSR 20240)

Released/updated on: 2024-02-28
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-01-01--2003-01-01
The Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) were initiated in recognition of the need for contemporary, comprehensive epidemiological data regarding the distributions, correlates and risk factors of mental disorders among the general population with special emphasis on minority groups. The primary objective of the CPES was to collect data about the prevalence of mental disorders, impairments associated with these disorders, and their treatment patterns from representative samples of majority and minority adult populations in the United States. Secondary goals were to obtain information about language use and ethnic disparities, support systems, discrimination and assimilation, in order to examine whether and how closely various mental health disorders are linked to social and cultural issues. To this end, CPES joins together three nationally representative surveys: the NATIONAL COMORBIDITY SURVEY REPLICATION (NCS-R), the NATIONAL SURVEY OF AMERICAN LIFE (NSAL), and the NATIONAL LATINO AND ASIAN AMERICAN STUDY (NLAAS). These surveys collectively provide the first national data with sufficient power to investigate cultural and ethnic influences on mental disorders. In this manner, CPES permits analysts to approach analysis of the combined dataset as though it were a single, nationally representative survey. Each of the CPES surveys has been documented in a comprehensive and flexible manner that promotes cross-survey linking of key data and scientific constructs.
Curated

Consequences of a Criminal Record for Employment Opportunity in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2002 (ICPSR 3599)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: Milwaukee, United States, Wisconsin
This study examined employers' policies and practices for hiring entry-level workers in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The study consisted of telephone interviews conducted in the spring of 2002 with 177 employers who had advertised entry-level openings in the prior six months. The survey included questions about the company, such as size, industry, employee turnover, and racial composition, questions about hiring procedures, questions about the last worker hired for a position not requiring a college degree, and questions about the employer's attitude toward various kinds of marginalized workers. An emphasis in the survey was placed on assessing employers' attitudes about and experience with applicants with criminal histories.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs

County-Specific Net Migration by Five-Year Age Groups, Hispanic Origin, Race and Sex: 2000-2010 (ICPSR 34638)

Released/updated on: 2013-09-05
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2000-01-01--2010-01-01

These data include county-level, net migration estimates by five-year age cohorts and sex, and by race and Hispanic origin, for the intercensal period from 2000 to 2010. The estimates were prepared using a vital statistics version of the forward cohort residual method. These estimates (and the net migration rates derivable from them) extend the set of decennial estimates of net migration that have been produced following each decennial census beginning with 1960 (net migration for the 1950s: Bowles and Tarver, 1965; 1960s: Bowles, Beale and Lee, 1975; 1970s: White, Mueser and Tierney, 1987; 1980s: Fuguitt, Beale, and Voss 2010; and 1990s: Voss, McNiven, Hammer, Johnson and Fuguitt, 2004).

Further information about this project is available on the Net Migration Patterns for US Counties Web site.

Curated

Demographic Characteristics of the Population of the United States, 1930-1950: County-Level (ICPSR 20)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1930-01-01--1950-01-01
This data collection contains county-level information on total number of population and internal migration in the United States from 1930 to 1950. Demographic information is provided on race, age, and sex for the counties. There are variables that provide information by age group on the number of native-born white males and females, foreign-born white males and females, Black males and females, and males and females of other nationalities such as Indians, Japanese, and Chinese. For 1930 and 1940, the population is tabulated in five-year intervals until age 34 and in ten-year intervals thereafter. For 1950, the numbers of whites and non-whites are given by sex and age in five-year intervals. Additional variables provide information by age group on net migration of white males and females, and on Black males and females. Other variables give information on births and deaths.
Curated

Detroit Area Study, 1968: Black Attitudes in Detroit (ICPSR 7324)

Released/updated on: 1997-11-04
Geographic coverage: Detroit, United States, Michigan

This study sampled Black households within the city of Detroit in the spring and summer of 1968 and interviewed the head of household or spouse of the head of household. The study examined contact between Blacks and Whites and the views of Blacks regarding Black militancy, community control, Black consciousness, and anti-White sentiments. Questions included in the interview determined the number and type of contacts respondents had with whites, the respondents' attitudes toward child-rearing, and political activities at neighborhood churches. Perceptions of various local problems were probed, including the effects of the 1967 Detroit riots. Respondents were also asked about the best means for Blacks to gain their rights and reasons for the high unemployment rate in Detroit. Other topics covered respondents' experiences with and awareness of racial discrimination in the areas of housing, local police activities, business relations, and job opportunities. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, marital status, religious affiliation, and church activities. The respondent's residence up to age 10, length of residence in Detroit and in their current neighborhood, and the racial composition of the neighborhood were ascertained. Respondent's educational level, the racial composition of schools the respondent attended, and respondent's service in the military were also recorded. Other demographic information was gathered regarding the number of adults and children living in the household, as well as the number of rooms in the house, family income, and income sources. The respondent was also asked about the educational levels and occupations of other family members.

Curated
Restricted
Simple Crosstabs

Detroit Area Study, 1992: Social Change in Detroit (ICPSR 2880)

Released/updated on: 2015-12-02
Geographic coverage: Detroit, United States, Michigan

This survey focused on factors that influence social change in the Michigan tri-county area of Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties and the changes that have occurred over time with respect to different ethnic groups and women. Respondents' opinions were sought on issues such as job discrimination, including pay and promotion on the basis of race, ethnicity, or gender, factors that influence employers in hiring decisions, such as experience in line of work, formal education, references, looks and appearance, age, race, and gender, possible reasons for Blacks' having worse jobs, income, and housing than Whites, and factors that affect this situation, such as racial discrimination, perceived inferior ability, lack of educational opportunities, and lack of motivation on the part of Blacks. The survey also elicited respondents' views on factors influencing residential segregation, including the lack of affordable housing for African Americans and other ethnic minorities and the lack of Whites' acceptance of these ethnic minority groups in White neighborhoods. Other variables probed respondents' attitudes toward interracial marriage, segregated and desegregated schools, all-Black male and all-Black female public schools, nonviolent and violent means of social change among Blacks, government legislative measures such as the cut in welfare cost, parental approval for under-age abortion, the amount of federal taxes paid, and affirmative action for women and African Americans in job training, education, hiring, and promotion. Also explored were respondents' feelings about the quality of city and neighborhood services, public schools, crime, and the desirability of living in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties and some of the suburbs around Detroit. Additional variables examined respondents' views on comparative wealth and intelligence among ethnic groups such as Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Arab Americans, and Whites, the degree of discrimination toward Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, and women, and the high degree of self-reliance among immigrant groups and nationalities in the United States as compared to United States minorities such as African Americans. Questions on the respondents' educational background covered the level of education and professional qualifications. Additional information gathered by the survey includes duration of residence in the tri-county area and at the current residence, place of previous residence, employment status, place of employment, mode of transportation to work, income, current debts and assets, job benefits, previous military service, information on family and household members, religious denomination, presidential candidate preference, age, race, ethnicity, skin tone if Black, marital status, and gender.

Curated

Differences in the Validity of Self-Reported Drug Use Across Five Factors in Indianapolis, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, and Dallas, 1994 (ICPSR 2706)

Released/updated on: 2000-09-11
Geographic coverage: Indiana, United States, Texas, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Florida, Dallas, Arizona, Indianapolis
This study investigated the accuracy of self-reported drug use in three ways. First, the researchers examined differences in the accuracy of self-reported drug use across five factors: gender, race, age, type of drug, and offense seriousness. Second, an attempt was made to determine the specific sources of inaccurate self-reports in terms of differences in underreporting and overreporting. Third, the researchers sought to explain differences in underreporting and overreporting in terms of true differences or differences in opportunity to underreport or overreport. This study used data collected in 1994 as part of the Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) Program [DRUG USE FORECASTING IN 24 CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, 1987-1997 (ICPSR 9477)]. The DUF drug testing and measurement methodology allows the accuracy of self-reported drug use to be checked with a biological criterion, namely urine tests. The sample for this study consisted of 4,752 white and Black adults from Indianapolis, Ft. Lauderdale, Phoenix, and Dallas. The five exogenous measures included in this study were type of drug (marijuana vs. crack/cocaine), age (18 through 30 vs. 31 or over), offense seriousness (misdemeanor vs. felony), race (Black vs. white), and gender (male vs. female). The endogenous measures were accuracy (self-report and drug test both positive or both negative vs. otherwise), underreporting (self-report negative but drug test positive vs. otherwise), and overreporting (self-report positive but drug test negative vs. otherwise). Variables include result of marijuana urine test, result of cocaine/crack urine test, marijuana self-report, cocaine/crack self-report, age group, sex, race, offense category, and ethnic/gender group.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs

The Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), Public Use, United States, 1998-2024 (ICPSR 31622)

Released/updated on: 2026-04-06
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1998-01-01--2024-01-01

The Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS, formerly known as the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study) follows a cohort of nearly 5,000 children born in large, U.S. cities between 1998 and 2000. The study oversampled births to unmarried couples; and, when weighted, the data are representative of births in large U.S. cities at the turn of the century. The FFCWS was originally designed to address four questions of great interest to researchers and policy makers:

  1. What are the conditions and capabilities of unmarried parents, especially fathers?
  2. What is the nature of the relationships between unmarried parents?
  3. How do children born into these families fare?
  4. How do policies and environmental conditions affect families and children?

The FFCWS consists of interviews with mothers, fathers, and/or primary caregivers at birth and again when children are ages 1, 3, 5, 9, 15, and 22. The parent interviews collected information on attitudes, relationships, parenting behavior, demographic characteristics, health (mental and physical), economic and employment status, neighborhood characteristics, and program participation. Beginning at age 9, children were interviewed directly (either during the home visit or on the telephone). The direct child interviews collected data on family relationships, home routines, schools, peers, and physical and mental health, as well as health behaviors.

A collaborative study of the FFCWS, the In-Home Longitudinal Study of Pre-School Aged Children (In-Home Study) collected data from a subset of the FFCWS Core respondents at the Year 3 and 5 follow-ups to ask how parental resources in the form of parental presence or absence, time, and money influence children under the age of 5. The In-Home Study collected information on a variety of domains of the child's environment, including: the physical environment (quality of housing, nutrition and food security, health care, adequacy of clothing and supervision) and parenting (parental discipline, parental attachment, and cognitive stimulation). In addition, the In-Home Study also collected information on several important child outcomes, including anthropometrics, child behaviors, and cognitive ability. This information was collected through interviews with the child's primary caregiver, and direct observation of the child's home environment and the child's interactions with his or her caregiver.

Similar activities were conducted during the Year 9 follow-up. At the Year 15 follow-up, a condensed set of home visit activities were conducted with a subsample of approximately 1,000 teens. Teens who participated in the In-Home Study were also invited to participate in a Sleep Study and were asked to wear an accelerometer on their non-dominant wrist for seven consecutive days to track their sleep (Sleep Actigraphy Data) and that day's behaviors and mood (Daily Sleep Actigraphy and Diary Survey Data).

An additional collaborative study collected data from the child care provider (Year 3) and teacher (Years 9 and 15) through mail-based surveys. Saliva samples were collected at Year 9 and 15 (Biomarker file and Polygenic Scores). The Study of Adolescent Neural Development (SAND) COVID Study began data collection in May 2020 following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It included online surveys with the young adult and their primary caregiver.

The FFCWS began its seventh wave of data collection in October 2020, around the focal child's 22nd birthday. Data collection and interviews continued through January 2024. The Year 22 wave included a young adult (YA) survey with the original focal child and a primary caregiver (PCG) survey. Data were also collected on the children of the original focal child (referred to as Generation 3, or G3).

In 2017, the FFCWS team announced the Fragile Families (FF) Challenge, a collaborative effort in which participants were tasked with using machine learning methods and FFCWS data (Baseline to Year 9) to build a model that would predict six key outcomes at Year 15. Materials used in the FF Challenge have been archived in this collection.

Documentation for these files is available on the FFCWS website under Data and Documentation. For details of updates made to the FFCWS data files, please see the project's Data Alerts page.

Data collection for the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R01HD36916, R01HD39135, and R01HD40421, as well as a consortium of private foundations.

Below is the citation for use of the FFCWS data accessed through ICPSR. For information on additional citation requirements when using FFCWS in publications, please refer to this FAQ on the FFCWS project site.

Curated

Harlem Longitudinal Study of Urban Black Youth, 1968 United States (ICPSR 121)

Released/updated on: 2008-03-26
Geographic coverage: New York City, Harlem, United States
This dataset is housed at the Murray Research Center at Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. This is a 26-year longitudinal study of physical, psychological, and social aspects of health among a representative community sample of African-American adolescents, aged 12 to 18, residing in Central Harlem, New York City. Data were collected in five waves: 1968-1970, 1975-1976, 1983-1984, 1989-1990, and 1993-1994. In 1968, there were 668 respondents aged 12-17, and in 1994, when respondents were aged 35-41, 347 remained in the study. Along with other health issues, later waves assessed patterns of non-medical related drug use and HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. In order to apply to use Murray Center data, one must register as a Murray Center user and complete an Application for the Use of Data form.
Curated

Height of Free African Americans in Maryland, 1800-1864 (ICPSR 3422)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: United States, Maryland
Time period: 1800-01-01--1864-01-01
This data collection was designed to ascertain the nutritional status of free African Americans in Maryland during the early to mid-19th century. These data supply information on the person's age, sex, year of birth, height, county of birth, county of residence (where the Certificate of Freedom was granted), complexion, and whether the person was born free or was manumitted after birth. In some cases, the county in which the person grew up is also documented.
Curated
Partially restricted

The Historically Black College and University Campus Sexual Assault (HBCU-CSA) Study, 2008 (ICPSR 31301)

Released/updated on: 2013-12-03
Geographic coverage: United States
The Historically Black College and University Campus Sexual Assault Study was undertaken to document the prevalence, personal and behavioral factors, context, consequences, and reporting of distinct forms of sexual assault. This study examined campus police and service provider perspectives on sexual victimization and student attitudes toward law enforcement and ideas about prevention and policy. The HBCU-CSA Study was a web survey administered in the fall semester of 2008 at 4 different colleges and universities. The participants included 3,951 undergraduate women and 88 staff from campus police, counseling centers, student health services, office of judicial affairs, women's center, office of the dean of students, and residential life.
Curated

Intimate Partner Homicide in California, 1987-2000 (ICPSR 3501)

Released/updated on: 2003-06-19
Geographic coverage: United States, California
Time period: 1987-01-01--2000-01-01
Since 1976, the United States has witnessed a steady and precipitous decline in intimate partner homicides. This study builds on the work of Dugan et al. (1999, 2000) and Browne and Williams (1989) by examining, in greater detail, the relationship between intimate partner homicide and gender, race, criminal justice system response, and domestic violence services. Specifically, the study examines the net effect of criminal justice system response and federally-funded domestic violence shelters on victimization of white, African American, and Hispanic males and females. This study used aggregated data from the 58 counties in California from 1987 to 2000. Homicide data were gathered by the State of California Department of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Center. Data on domestic violence resources were obtained from the Governor's Office of Criminal Justice Planning, Domestic Violence Branch, in the form of detailed reports from domestic violence shelters in the state. Based on these records, the researchers computed the number of federally-funded shelter-based organizations in a given county over time. Data on criminal justice responses at the county level were gathered from the State of California Department of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Center. These data included domestic violence arrests and any convictions and incarceration that followed those arrests. The researchers disaggregated these criminal justice system measures by race and gender. In order to account for population differences and changes over time, rates were computed per 100,000 adults (age 18 and older).
Curated

Longitudinal Study of Biosocial Factors Related to Crime and Delinquency, 1959-1962: [Pennsylvania] (ICPSR 8928)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: United States, Pennsylvania
Time period: 1959-01-01--1962-01-01
This study was designed to measure the effects of family background and developmental characteristics on school achievement and delinquency within a "high risk" sample of Black youths. The study includes variables describing the mother and the child. Mother-related variables assess prenatal health, pregnancy and delivery complications, and socioeconomic status. Child-related variables focus on the child at age 7 and include place in birth order, physical development, family constellation, socioeconomic status, verbal and spatial intelligence, and number of offenses.
Curated

Mortality in the South, 1850 (ICPSR 7424)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: North Carolina, United States, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina
This study recorded information on deaths that occurred in 1850 in seven states of the southern United States: Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The data were obtained from the manuscript mortality schedules of the 1850 United States Census. Variables identify the state and county in which each death occurred, and provide information on the age, sex, race, legal status (free or slave), place of birth, and occupation of the deceased. The month and cause of death as well as the number of days of illness before death are also documented.
Curated

National Black Election Panel Study, 1984 and 1988 (ICPSR 9954)

Released/updated on: 2002-06-19
Geographic coverage: United States
This survey focuses on the attitudes and political preferences of the Black electorate during the 1984 and 1988 presidential elections. Questions regarding party identification, political interest, and preferences and choices for president were asked. In addition, respondents were asked about their feelings concerning Jesse Jackson's campaigns for the presidency in 1984 and 1988 and the effect his campaigns had on the elections. Information on race and gender issues, economic matters, quality of life, government spending, political participation, and religion and church politics is also included. Demographic information on respondents includes sex, age, education, marital status, income, and occupation and industry.
Curated

National Black Election Study, 1984 (ICPSR 8938)

Released/updated on: 1994-02-18
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1984-08-01--1984-12-01
This survey deals with the attitudes and political preferences of the Black electorate during the 1984 presidential election and contains information on both pre-election and post-election respondents. Questions regarding party identification, political interest, and preferences and choices for president were asked. In addition, respondents were asked about their feelings concerning Jesse Jackson's campaign for the presidency and the effect his campaign had on the election. Information on race and gender issues, economic matters, quality of life, government spending, political participation, and religion and church politics is also included.
Curated

National Black Election Study, 1996 (ICPSR 2029)

Released/updated on: 2004-11-24
Geographic coverage: United States
This data collection provides information on the attitudes and political preferences of the Black electorate during the 1996 presidential election, and contains both pre- and post-election components. A total of 1,216 respondents completed interviews during the pre-election component, 854 of whom were reinterviewed for the post-election component. Questions regarding party identification, political interest, and preferences and choices for president were asked. In addition, respondents were matched to their congressional districts and asked to evaluate their House representatives. Also included were questions regarding social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of candidates and groups, opinions on questions of public policy, participation in political life, race and gender issues, economic matters, quality of life, government spending, and religion and church politics. Demographic information on respondents includes sex, age, education, marital status, income, and occupation and industry.
Curated

National Black Election Study Pilot, 1996 (ICPSR 1125)

Released/updated on: 2008-04-04
Geographic coverage: United States
Telephone survey of 221 eligible voting African Americans conducted from March to June 1996.
Curated
Partially restricted
Simple Crosstabs

National Black Politics Study, [United States], 1993 (ICPSR 2018)

Released/updated on: 2019-06-06
Geographic coverage: United States

The National Black Politics Study was designed to provide information on attitudes and opinions regarding a number of issues of importance to Black Americans. Topics included the performance of President Bill Clinton, the economic condition of Black Americans, and what respondents thought ought to be done to improve the condition of Black people. Questions regarding Black women and their role in the Black community were also asked. In addition, the role and extent of religion in Black politics was investigated.

Respondents also provided information about their political self-identification and their community and political involvement, as well as their feelings toward various political leaders, political groups, and national policies. Demographic information on respondents includes sex, age, education, marital status, income, and occupation and industry.

Curated

National Politics Study, 2004 (ICPSR 24483)

Released/updated on: 2009-03-23
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2004-09-03--2005-02-25
The primary goal of the National Politics Study (NPS) was to gather comparative data about individuals' political attitudes, beliefs, aspirations, and behaviors at the beginning of the 21st century. Exploring the nature of political involvement and participation among individuals from different racial and ethnic groups, the survey included questions about voting preferences, party affiliation, organizational membership, immigration, racial consciousness, acculturation, and views of government policies.
Curated
Partially restricted
Simple Crosstabs

National Politics Study, 2008 (ICPSR 36167)

Released/updated on: 2015-08-07
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2008-09-05--2008-12-15

The 2008 election offers a rare opportunity to analyze a significant event in American history - the election of the first African American president. Because the longitudinal panel series began in 2004, prior to the emergence of President Obama as a serious political candidate and nominee, the results from these surveys provide a rare vehicle for comparing data over time on important demographic, political, and, of particular interest given President Obama's racial background, racial and ethnic issues related to vote choice and political behavior. The wealth of data obtained from this survey will benefit scholars for many years to come.

This report provides a general overview of some of the key findings from the 2008 data collection. Topics covered include: demographic information of the population, work status, home ownership, political ideology, party identification, presidential choice, race relations, feeling thermometer data for a variety of political figures and relevant groups or organizations, and current events such as the Iraq War and same-sex marriage. Because differences among the racial and ethnic groups surveyed in this study are of political significance (Whites, African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Caribbean Blacks), much of the data presented here is disaggregated by racial and ethnic group.

Curated
Partially restricted
Simple Crosstabs

National Survey of American Life - Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), 2001-2004 (ICPSR 36380)

Released/updated on: 2016-07-28
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-01-01--2004-01-01

The National Survey of American Life Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), 2001-2004, was designed to estimate the lifetime-to-date and current prevalence, age-of-onset distributions, course, and comorbidity of DSM-IV disorders among African American and Caribbean adolescents in the United States; to identify risk and protective factors for the onset and persistence of these disorders; to describe patterns and correlates of service use for these disorders; and to lay the groundwork for subsequent follow-up studies that can be used to identify early expressions of adult mental disorders. In addition and similar to the NSAL adult dataset (Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), 2001-2003 [United States] (ICPSR 20240)), the adolescent dataset contains detailed measures of health; social conditions; stressors; distress; racial identity; subjective, neighborhood conditions; activities and school; media; and social and psychological protective and risk factors. Numerous variables from the adult dataset have been merged into the adolescent dataset, as the NSAL adult and adolescent respondents reside in the same households. Some of these variables apply to the entire household (i.e. region, urbanicity, and family income), while others apply specifically to the NSAL adult respondent living in the adolescent's household (i.e. adult years of education, adult marital status, and adult nativity [foreign-born vs. US born]). The immigration measures were asked of Caribbean black adult respondents only. No comparable measures assess the immigration and generational status of the Caribbean black adolescent respondents. The adult dataset measures are merged into the adolescent dataset to assist in approximating these measures for adolescent respondents. The NSAL adolescent dataset also includes variables for other non-core and experimental disorders. These include tobacco use/nicotine dependence, premenstrual syndrome, minor depression, recurrent brief depression, hypomania, and hypomania sub-threshold. Demographic variables include age, race and ethnicity, ancestry or national origins, height, weight, marital status, income, and education level.

Curated
Partially restricted
Simple Crosstabs

National Survey of American Life: Multi-Generational and Caribbean Cross-Section Studies, Guyana, Jamaica, [United States], 2004-2005 (ICPSR 36406)

Released/updated on: 2021-12-13
Geographic coverage: United States, Guyana, Jamaica
Time period: 2004-01-01--2005-01-01

The study National Survey of American Life: Multi-Generational and Caribbean Cross-Section Studies also known as the Family Connections Across Generations and Nations is a follow-up to the National Survey of American Life (NSAL): Coping With Stress in the 21st Century, the baseline study which interviewed 6,200 adults and 1,200 adolescents in households of African Americans, non-Hispanic Whites, and Blacks of Caribbean descent.

This study examines influences of family life on people's satisfaction with their lives and their health and general well-being. Specifically, it investigates family and inter-generational processes, with a special emphasis on contextual and structural influences on relationships as they affect individual and family health and well-being across, and within, ethnically and nationally diverse population samples.

Categories of variables include sections on neighborhood, health, social support, depression, social support, mental health episodes (such as depression and mania), substance use, tobacco use, discrimination, and interviewer observations. Demographic variables include the race and ethnicity of the respondent and their spouse, racial background of parents, education, employment, volunteerism, and family income.

Curated
Partially restricted

National Survey of American Life Self-Administered Questionnaire (NSAL-SAQ), February 2001-June 2003 (ICPSR 27121)

Released/updated on: 2010-04-13
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-02-01--2003-06-01
The National Survey of American Life, 2001-2003 (NSAL) was followed up by a self-administered interview (NSAL SAQ) as a way to reduce respondent burden following the 2 1/2 hour NSAL survey. The SAQ includes additional questions about social, group, and individual characteristics: psychological resources (i.e., John Henryism), group and personal identity (racial awareness and identity), as well as ideology and racial relations (i.e., social dominance; stratification beliefs; egalitarianism; national pride; work ethic; authoritarian, interracial contact; and exposure to Black social contexts); political attitudes (i.e., Race-conscious Policy Index, Race-blind Policy Index, Non-Electoral Participation Index); care of elderly values; job and financial stressors; and wealth. Demographic variables include age, race, and sex.
Curated

National Survey of Black Americans, 1979-1980 (ICPSR 8512)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1979-01-01--1980-01-01
The purpose of this data collection is to provide an appropriate theoretical and empirical approach to concepts, measures, and methods in the study of Black Americans. The questionnaire was developed over two years, with input from social scientists, students, and a national advisory panel of Black scholars. The final instrument encompasses several broad areas related to Black American life. The study explores neighborhood-community integration, services, crime and community contact, the role of religion and the church, physical and mental health, and self-esteem. It also examines employment, the effects of chronic unemployment, the effects of race on the job, and interaction with family and friends. In addition, the survey provides information on racial attitudes, race identity, group stereotypes, and race ideology. Demographic variables include education, income, occupation, and political behavior and affiliation.
Curated

National Survey of Black Americans, Waves 1-4, 1979-1980, 1987-1988, 1988-1989, 1992 (ICPSR 6668)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: United States
The purpose of this data collection was to provide an appropriate theoretical and empirical approach to concepts, measures, and methods in the study of Black Americans. Developed with input from social scientists, students, and a national advisory panel of Black scholars, the survey investigates neighborhood-community integration, services, crime and community contact, the role of religion and the church, physical and mental health, self-esteem, life satisfaction, employment, the effects of chronic unemployment, the effects of race on the job, interaction with family and friends, racial attitudes, race identity, group stereotypes, and race ideology. Demographic variables include education, marital status, income, employment status, occupation, and political behavior and affiliation.
Curated

Negro Political Attitudes, 1964 (ICPSR 7002)

Released/updated on: 2007-12-19
Geographic coverage: New York City, United States, Chicago, Atlanta, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, New York (state), Birmingham
This study is part of the University of California's Five-Year Study of anti-Semitism in the United States. As a result of the outbreak of Black rioting during the summer of 1964, it was decided to expand the proposed Black subsample of the national sample to a larger Black oversample in order to study the climate of opinion in the Black American community. These Black respondents were selected by drawing five samples: one general metropolitan sample and four urban samples from Chicago, New York, Atlanta, and Birmingham. Questions were asked about the respondents' present economic and social positions as well as the economic and social conditions in their childhood. Respondents' opinions on civil rights issues as well as attitudes toward authority and treatment of Blacks in the existing system were investigated. A section of the questionnaire was devoted to the respondents' attitudes toward Jews and other groups.
Curated

Negro Political Participation Study, 1961-1962 (ICPSR 7255)

Released/updated on: 2006-08-15
Geographic coverage: North Carolina, Mississippi, United States, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Arkansas, South Carolina
Time period: 1961-01-01--1962-01-01
This study was designed to investigate patterns of political participation among adult Blacks in the South. All interviews were taken in the former confederate states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Along with a Black adults sample (Part 2), a sample of White adults (Part 3) was included as a control group for comparison and a sample of Black students (Part 1) was interviewed with an aim to projecting trends in participation patterns. Variables ascertained voting behavior, political discussion, degree of political organizational activity, participation in demonstrations, and communication with public officials as modes of political participation. Respondents' views on Black leadership, effectiveness of Black organizations, attitudes of White leaders and officials, the effect of electoral laws on Black participation, perceptions of the major parties, party identification, and feelings on race relations were also assessed. The questions asked of both adult samples are identical, and the data may be used for comparative purposes. Demographic data include age, sex, level of education, primary and secondary occupations, religious preference, and family income.
Curated

New Homes and Poor People, 1966-1967 (ICPSR 7492)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1966-01-01--1967-01-01
This study focused on the indirect consequences of new housing construction by examining the sequences of moves triggered by first-time occupancies of new homes. In particular, the investigation attempted to ascertain whether the construction of new, relatively expensive housing might indirectly benefit low-income people or African Americans who could not afford to purchase these new houses but would be able to move into vacancies created farther along the chain. Interviews were first conducted with a representative sample of first-time inhabitants of newly-built homes, and then with the families that moved into the dwellings left vacant. Wherever possible, each chain of moves was followed to its logical conclusion. Demographic information includes age, sex, and education of family head, race of respondent, family life cycle, and family income.
Curated

New Orleans Slave Sale Sample, 1804-1862 (ICPSR 7423)

Released/updated on: 2008-08-04
Geographic coverage: United States, Louisiana, New Orleans
Time period: 1804-01-01--1862-01-01
This study includes data on slave sales that occurred on the New Orleans slave market between 1804-1862. For each sale, information was recorded on the date of the sale, the number of slaves on the invoice, the geographical origin of the buyer and seller, the sale price, and characteristics of the slaves sold (age, sex, family relationship, and occupation). The information presented for each transaction was obtained from the notarized bills of sale in the New Orleans Notarial Archival Office. These bills often contained information on several persons who were sold in a group or as a "lot." Whenever feasible, sale and personal characteristics of individuals appearing in such groups were entered on separate records. This was usually done when separate sale prices were recorded for each member of the group. When separate prices were not recorded for children sold in a group, information describing those children was attached to the record of a principal slave with whom they were associated on the original bill of sale.
Curated

New Orleans Slave Sample, 1804-1862 [Instructional Materials] (ICPSR 3464)

Released/updated on: 2002-11-27
Geographic coverage: United States, Louisiana, New Orleans
Time period: 1804-01-01--1862-01-01
These instructional materials were prepared for use with NEW ORLEANS SLAVE SALE SAMPLE, 1804-1862 (ICPSR 7423), compiled by Robert W. Fogel and Stanley L. Engerman. The data file (an SPSS portable file) and accompanying documentation are provided to assist educators in instructing students about the economics of slavery and the lives of the people recorded in the slave market. An instructor's handout is also included. This handout contains the following sections, among others: (1) general goals for student analysis of quantitative datasets, (2) specific goals in studying this dataset, (3) suggested appropriate courses for use of the dataset, (4) tips for using the dataset, and (5) related secondary source readings. The dataset includes data on slave sales that occurred on the New Orleans slave market between 1804-1862. For each sale, information was recorded on the date of the sale, the number of slaves on the invoice, the geographical origin of the buyer and seller, the sale price, and characteristics of the slaves sold (age, sex, family relationship, and occupation). The information presented for each transaction was obtained from the notarized bills of sale in the New Orleans Notarial Archival Office. These bills often contained information on several persons who were sold in a group or as a "lot." Whenever feasible, sale and personal characteristics of individuals appearing in such groups were entered on separate records. This was usually done when separate sale prices were recorded for each member of the group. When separate prices were not recorded for children sold in a group, information describing those children was attached to the record of a principal slave with whom they were associated on the original bill of sale.
Curated

New York Times Race Poll, June 2000 (ICPSR 2987)

Released/updated on: 2009-01-16
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded June 21-29, 2000, queried respondents on their attitudes regarding race. This poll oversampled Black respondents, providing an insight into the demographic characteristics and political perspectives of Blacks or African-Americans. Respondents were asked a series of questions about perceptions of racial relations, attitudes about integration of neighborhoods, the workplace, and schools, experiences with racial discrimination, knowledge of Black history, and the relevance and importance of engaging in race relations dialogues. Respondents were asked to compare the opportunities available to their generation to the opportunities of past and future generations and what was the most important problem for the next generation to solve. In addition, respondents were asked for their views on issues such as racial profiling, interracial relationships, community/law enforcement relationships, and the representation of Blacks in professional and leadership positions. Demographic information includes age, employment status, sex, race, education, household income, religious preference, voter registration and participation history, political party, political orientation, ethnicity, marital status, type of residential area, and whether respondents had any school-age children in the household.
Curated

Philadelphia Social History Project: Pennsylvania Abolition Society and Society of Friends Manuscript Census Schedules, 1838, 1847, 1856 (ICPSR 3805)

Released/updated on: 2009-02-26
Geographic coverage: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Initially taken in 1838 to demonstrate the stability and significance of the African American community and to forestall the abrogation of African American voting rights, the Quaker and Abolitionist census of African Americans was continued in 1847 and 1856 and present an invaluable view of the mid-nineteenth century African American population of Philadelphia. Although these censuses list only household heads, providing aggregate information for other household members, and exclude the substantial number of African Americans living in white households, they provide data not found in the federal population schedules. When combined with the information on African Americans taken from the four federal censuses, they offer researchers a richly detailed view of Philadelphia's African American community spanning some forty years.

The three censuses are not of equal inclusiveness or quality, however. The 1838 and 1847 enumerations cover only the "old" City of Philadelphia (river-to-river and from Vine to South Streets) and the immediate surrounding districts (Spring Garden, Northern Liberties, Southwark, Moyamensing, Kensington--1838, West Philadelphia--1847); the 1856 survey includes African Americans living throughout the newly enlarged city which, as today, conforms to the boundaries of Philadelphia County. In spite of this deficiency in areal coverage, the earlier censuses are superior historical documents. The 1838 and 1847 censuses contain data on a wide range of social and demographic variables describing the household indicating address, household size, occupation, whether members were born in Pennsylvania, status-at-birth, debts, taxes, number of children attending school, names of beneficial societies and churches (1838), property brought to Philadelphia from other states (1838), sex composition (1847), age structure (1847), literacy (1847), size of rooms and number of people per room (1847), and miscellaneous remarks (1847). While the 1856 census includes the household address and reports literacy, occupation, status-at-birth, and occasional passing remarks about individual households and their occupants, it excludes the other informational categories. Moreover, unlike the other two surveys, it lists the occupations of only higher status African Americans, excluding unskilled and semiskilled designations, and records the status-at-birth of adults only. Indeed, it even fails to provide data permitting the calculation of the size and age and sex structure of households.

Variables for each household head and his household include (differ slightly by census year): name, sex, status-at-birth, occupation, wages, real and personal property, literacy, education, religion, membership in beneficial societies and temperance societies, taxes, rents, dwelling size, address, slave or free birth.

Curated
Simple Crosstabs

Quantitative Data Coded from the Federal Writers' Project Slave Narratives, United States, 1936-1938 (ICPSR 36381)

Released/updated on: 2018-05-08
Geographic coverage: North Carolina, District of Columbia, Indiana, United States, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Alabama, Florida, New York (state), Arkansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Mississippi, Illinois, Texas, Missouri, Louisiana, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland
Time period: 1936-01-01--1938-01-01
This project entailed recording and coding information from slave narratives gathered as part of the Federal Writers' Project. Between 1936 and 1938, federal authorities organized teams of interviewers in seventeen states who gathered the recollections of over two thousand former slaves. The typescript of these interviews, running to more than ten thousand pages, was deposited in the Library of Congress and has been available on microfiche for many years. Information on the actions, attitudes, beliefs and experiences of slaves was coded from 2,358 slave narratives.
Curated

Quiet Revolution in the South: the Impact of the Voting Rights Act, 1965-1990 [Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia] (ICPSR 6646)

Released/updated on: 2006-01-12
Geographic coverage: North Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, South Carolina
Time period: 1965-01-01--1990-01-01
The purpose of this study was to examine the causes of gains in Black office-holding in the South over the past two decades, including effects of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on changes in local city election structure, the enfranchisement of Blacks in the South, and the prevention of the dilution of minority votes in terms of enabling Blacks to win local office. The data are longitudinal, gathered at two points in time at the city level. The collection includes eight state-specific data files that contain variables such as type of election system in use at each time period (at-large, single-member district, or mixed), total number of Black council members at each of two time points for each city, total number of council members, 1980 Census city total population, 1980 Census Black city population, and voting age population. Also included is "Table Z," a set of state-specific supplementary tables listing all lawsuits filed between 1965 and 1989 under the Fourteenth Amendment, the Fifteenth Amendment, or the Voting Rights Act by private plaintiffs or the Justice Department that challenged at-large elections in municipalities in all eight of the southern states covered in this study, and in counties in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.