Are Latinos Becoming White? Determinants of Latinos' Racial Self-Identification in the U.S.

Jeffrey M. Timberlake, University of Cincinnati
Joseph Michael, University of Cincinnati

In this paper we use the Latino National Political Survey from 1990 to estimate determinants of the choices Latinos make when asked to choose their race. We find that skin color, nationality, and immigrant generation are strongly related to these choices, and that measures of assimilation substantially mediate the effects of generation but not skin color or nationality. We conclude by discussing implications of the findings for the future racial order in the United States.