Ferriero praised the archive staff “for their dedication to preserving and providing access to this important archive”. “I personally look forward to looking for my own family in Beverly, Massachusetts,” he added. The file encourages users to search for the first and last name of the household head they are looking for. the database will return close mappings even if users do not know the exact spelling. The archive used an Artificial Intelligence technique called Visual Character Recognition to extract names from handwritten text images, so not all names are perfect. Users can make the index of names more specific by editing and adding correct names. The National Archives also released a video explaining how amateur genealogists can explore recently published archives. Home Secretary Deb Haland also explained in a video that the census was “particularly important for Indian tribes because it helps decide on federal funding, which in turn affects the government’s responsibility to trust indigenous communities.” The 1950 census included 20 questions for all respondents aged 14 and over. Some respondents were also asked six additional questions. “Since 1790, census data have painted a vivid, vivid portrait of America,” said Robert Santos, director of the U.S. Census Bureau, in another video celebrating the publication. In particular, the 1950 census marked the last time the enumerators personally visited most households. The office then switched to postal household inventory forms and today citizens can complete the inventory online, by phone or by post. According to the archive, inventories from 1960 onwards are not available to the public “due to an established 72-year restriction on access for privacy reasons”, but can be requested privately from the US Census Bureau. “The Census is full of family stories and we know you’re looking forward to looking for yours,” Ferriero said.
