Edited by Thane Peterson

The Census Bureau will release on Thursday, Dec. 5, the results of its controversial test program on adding a "multiracial" category to the 2000 census form. If approved for the 2000 census, the new category is expected to reduce the number of Americans identifying themselves as "black," which is now one of only four allowed racial categories. Such racial data is used extensively in hiring by federal contractors, in administering special lending programs for minorities, and in civil rights monitoring and enforcement in employment, voting, housing, mortgage lending, health care, and education.

The census study is part of a governmentwide effort at examining the federal standards on reporting of race and ethnicity. The federal Office of Management & Budget will decide by next spring what changes to recommend.

In its test, Census allowed respondents for the first time to characterize themselves as multiracial rather than the four categories of black, white, American Indian or Alaskan Native, and Asian or Pacific Islander.

Some organizations representing African-Americans object to the multiracial category, citing the possibility that it will reduce the influence of African Americans and change government formulas based on race. Meanwhile, other groups are seeking to expand the number of categories to include such designations as "Arab-American" and "Cape Verdean" and "Native Hawaiian." And others representing multiracial Americans are seeking to have that category added to the Census form.

Interracial marriages have increased 900% from 150,000 in 1960 to 1.5 million in 1990. In the 1990 census, about 4% of couples reported they were of different races or one was of Hispanic origin. According to the Census Bureau, such households have had about 4 million children.

By Paul Magnusson in Washington