Demanding a Complete and Accurate Count of the African-American Community by the United States Census Bureau

WHEREAS, the United States Constitution has mandated that a population count of all the residents and homes in the United States and its Trust Territories be counted every ten years on the even number years; and

WHEREAS, the 1990 census missed 8.4 million people and double counted 4.4 million; and

WHEREAS, those most often missed were children, the poor, people of color, urban dwellers and people who live in rural rental homes.  The 4.4 percent of the miss-counted directly impacted African-American communities; and

WHEREAS, the census population count determines representation in the United States House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, this data is also used to determine the measure of the levels for poverty, unemployment, improved housing, education, health care, senior citizen facilities, transportation and the like; and

WHEREAS, each year, billions of federal, state and local funds will be spent on thousands of projects across the nation, based upon population-based formulas created with information obtained from the 2000 Census; and

WHEREAS, the United States Census Bureau has not spent any monies with Black Entertainment Television, one of the major media outlets of the African-American community; and

WHEREAS, it is essential that the United States Census Bureau mount an aggressive advertising campaign making the African-American community a priority for the 2000 Census count; and

WHEREAS, it is also important that the United States Census Bureau spend its approximate $400 million budget in a manner that ensures all citizens of the country be properly counted with emphasis on those who have been historically missed; and

WHEREAS, a fair share of the United States Census Bureau budget must be earmarked for distribution in African-American and other minority communities via the African-American and other minority owned media, the NAACP and its partnership associations; and

WHEREAS, the African-American and other minority owned and formatted media, including Black Entertainment Television maintain a strong and trusted sense of credibility with the minority community, and should be a major means for spreading information about the 2000 Census to these communities; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP, the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States, has pledged it's support and participation in a complete and accurate accounting of African-American in the 2000 Census.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP call upon the United States Census Bureau to ensure that a fair share of the resources necessary to conduct the 2000 Census is distributed to African-American and other minority media (including Black Entertainment Television) and other NAACP partnership organizations; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that organizations serving in community partnerships with the NAACP will publicize its endorsement of 2000 Census by making public service announcements in/on their own publications and by urging its membership to undertake every possible step to promote and complete an accurate accounting of African-American and other minority communities.