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Agency History

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View official Census Bureau operations and activities photos released by the U.S. Census Bureau. These photos may include stock photos.

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Previous Director, Robert L. Santos

January 2022

Robert Santos was the 26th director of the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Robert L. Santos, director anterior

January 2022

Robert Santos fue el 26.º director de la Oficina del Censo de los EE. UU.
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Previous Director Dr. Steven Dillingham

January 2019

Dr. Steven Dillingham was sworn in as the 25th Census Bureau Director on January 7, 2019 and resigned from the office on January 20, 2021.
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Previous Director John H. Thompson

January 2013

Thompson had been President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago since 2008.
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Groves remarks NPC

December 22, 2010

These photos are of Groves remarks NPC.
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Groves with Blank

December 22, 2010

These photos are of Groves with Blank.
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Groves with Locke

December 22, 2010

These photos are of Groves with Locke.
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Groves preparing for press conference

December 22, 2010

These photos are of Groves preparing for press conference.
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Groves with reporters

December 22, 2010

These photos are of Groves with reporters.
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Information Collection: Update/Leave Package

January 2010

Census workers hand delivered 2010 Census questionnaires to roughly 12 million addresses across the nation.
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Previous Director Robert M. Groves

January 2009

Prior to leading the Census Bureau, Groves was a professor at the University of Michigan and director of its Survey Research Center.
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Previous Director Steven H. Murdock

January 2008

Dr. Murdock was nominated by President George W. Bush for director on June 18, 2007, and the Senate confirmed him unanimously in December of that year.
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Population Clock Reaches 300 Million

October 17, 2006

Census Bureau director Charles L. Kincannon speaks to the media as the Population Clock reaches 300 million, October 17, 2006.
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Suitland, MD 1

January 01, 2006
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Past Census Facilities 10

January 01, 2006
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Suitland Federal Center 3

January 01, 2003
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Previous Director Charles Louis Kincannon

January 2002

A native of Waco, TX, Charles Kincannon began his career as a statistician in the Census Bureau in 1963.
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Census Taker Visits Resident During 2000 Census

January 2000

2000 Census was the first to use a paid advertising campaign to motivate participation.
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2000 American Community Survey Package

January 2000
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Telephone Centers

January 01, 2000
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Previous Director Kenneth Prewitt

January 1998

Ken Prewitt was born in 1936 in Alton, IL. He attained his B.A. from Southern Methodist University in 1958.
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Bowie Computer Center 1

January 01, 1995
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Previous Director Martha Farnsworth Riche

January 1994

A native of Ann Arbor, Martha Riche received a B.A. and M.A. in economics from the University of Michigan.
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1990 Census Promotional Pins

January 1990

Promotional pins distributed at the time of the 1990 Census encouraged residents of Dane County, WI, and the county seat—Madison—to participate in the census.
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1990 Cookbook

January 1990

The U.S. Census Bureau's Welfare and Recreation Association compiled this 1990 cookbook using recipes submitted by its employees as part of a fundraiser.
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Cardboard Desks

January 1990

For the 1990 and 2000 censuses, the U.S. Census Bureau purchased thousands of cardboard desks for use at temporary field offices around the country.
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1990 Census

January 1990

The 1990 Census did not fare as well as its predecessor. For the first time since 1940, there was an increase in the estimated net undercount.
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Previous Director Barbara Everitt Bryant

January 1989

The first woman to be director of the Census Bureau, Barbara Bryant was born in April 1926 in Ann Arbor, MI.
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1985 Census Headquarters Building

January 1985
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Previous Director John G. Keane

January 1984

John Keane, a native of Indiana, brought his marketing and strategic planning experience to the Census Bureau.
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Previous Director Bruce Chapman

January 1981

Bruce Chapman was born in 1940 in Evanston, IL. He went on to graduate with honors from Harvard University in 1962.
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1980 Census Enumeration Activities

March 1980

Photos created by the Census Bureau to encourage response to the 1980 Census.
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1980 Textbook

January 1980

For the 1980 Census, the Census Bureau published this textbook for the 50 universities participating in the Experimental Student Intern Program (ESIP).
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"1980 Preparing ""Master Address Registers"""

January 1980

To conduct the 1980 field enumeration, Census Bureau enumerators used Master Address Registers. Year: 1980.
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1980 Census Mail-Out Mail-Back System

January 1980

The mail-out mail-back system worked well for the 1980 Census, which is considered one of the most accurate in modern times.
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Notable Alumni Kirby Puckett

January 1980

Before he became famous on the baseball diamond, Kirby worked as a temporary census employee for the 1980 Census in Chicago.