U.S. census

The shrinking of the white majority in America has agitated a certain portion of the population that sees a threat in the rising tide of black and brown people.

In the last 10 years, Boston has gained 58,000 new residents and grown slightly more diverse, with increases in the Latino and Asian share of its population. But 8,800 Black people dropped from the city’s count, continuing a 20-year downward trend.

The U.S. Census is still weeks away from releasing data on population changes, but Massachusetts elected officials and political activists are already knee-deep in the redistricting process as the Legislature prepares to redraw political boundaries to respond to shifts in the state population.

Every 10 years, the federal government conducts a census, counting every person living in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories. This is more than just a headcount; the census determines everything from representation in Congress, to federal funds for schools, affordable housing, infrastructure and health care programs.