when did the U.S. government begin gathering census data on race?

Answer 1

1790 census, the first one, name of head of household, number of free white males and females, number of other free persons, number of slaves.

1800, 1810, & 1820 census: name of head of household, number of free white males and females, number of other free persons except Indians, number of slaves.

1830 & 1840 census: name of head of household, number of free white males and females, number of other free persons, names of slave owners and number of slaves, number of foreigners. You see how it goes.

1850 & 1860 census had slave schedules. Slaves were taxable assets. 1850 listed black, colored, mulatto, and white race. The options 1870 were black, chinese, mulatto, native american, and white. 1880 options asian, black, chinese, indian, mexican, mulatto, and white.

Little remains of 1890 census.

Native Americans did not pay taxes so were not enumerated until they had to make a choice by 1900 I think it was, on which census many ethnicities were listed.

Earlier in our history there were drives in some southern states requiring native americans, who had long lived among and intermarried with whites among them, to choose to be white and be taxed, or remove to Indian Territory.

Answer 2

I believe every census has contained that information in one form or another.