With release of data on race and Hispanic origin from the 2000 census, we have set up a new website at USC that provides a full comparison of the 50 states, including details on California and Los Angeles. This site reports findings from a project on the changing contours of race and Hispanic origin, Race Contours 2000. (Co-investigators are Dowell Myers, Philip Ethington, Angela James, and William Frey.)

The site address is: http:www.usc.edu/sppd/census2000

Contents focus on findings from the new multiracial question in the census, and highlight spatial differences in racial patterns. Graphs compare all 50 states (especially Mississippi and California!).

In California, we have identified a "multiracial belt" in the center of the state. (It is not in San Francisco.)

Also on the site is an evaluation of where total population growth in California counties, or growth of specific racial groups, exceeded what was previously forecast.

Within Los Angeles County, we have posted a unique set of *animated maps* that traces the spread of racial diversity from 1940 to 2000. We call these maps, displays of growing "racial majorities." The site also includes measures of exposure and dissimilarity from 1940 to 2000 for four main race-etrhnic groups.

Soon to be added is a summary of changes in compostion and growing diversity for specific communities in the Los Angeles area.

Of general interest to all: the site includes a resource of some importance. "Overlap" is the title of our multi-section user guide to race and Hispanic origin in Census 2000. The major changes in the 2000 census necessitate much more careful consideration by all census data users.

We welcome your visit! http:www.usc.edu/sppd/census2000

Dowell Myers
Project PI