Newsroom Archive

Census Bureau Director Kenneth Prewitt today cast his ballot in the Crayola Color Census 2000 at the Crayola.com web site, using the occasion to suggest that a new color -- red, white and blue -- be added to the standard range of available colors.

"I'm very pleased to see a census going on to determine America's favorite Crayola crayon colors," Prewitt said. "Although my vote goes to the colors red, white and blue, I'd like to see them make a crayon that is part of each of these colors that represent America, just as the national census makes sure all Americans are counted so they can be adequately represented in Congress."

"We are honored that the director of the U.S. Census Bureau made his favorite colors count in the Crayola Color Census 2000," said Mark Schwab, president and CEO of Binney & Smith, maker of Crayola products. "Though we are unable to grant his request for a new red, white and blue crayon at this time, we are giving it special consideration. We are pleased Director Prewitt has joined other Americans in supporting these patriotic hues with his vote."

"Every child learns to fill in the lines of their drawings with crayons," Prewitt noted, "just as we hope they will grow up knowing the importance of filling in their census forms. The Crayola folks are to be congratulated for their innovative effort to introduce America's children to the important sciences of statistics, demography and geography that are essential to the census."

Further information on Census 2000 is available at <https://www.census.gov> and on Crayola Color Census 2000 at <http://www.crayola.com>. Results of the crayon census will be announced January 31, 2001. The population totals for the nation and each state will be announced by this December 31, as required by law.