The term "Hispanics" as currently used in the United States is a gross oversimplification of the reality of a highly heterogeneous people. Among the many important variables that divide and subdivide the Hispanic population into distinctive and significant subpopulations are race, language, time of arrival in the United States, national origin, and minority status. The socio-economic profiles of Cuban Americans tend to approximate that of Americans more than that of fellow Hispanics. The most recent wave of Cuban immigrants came from Port Mariel, introducing a large non-white (black or mulatto) population. This particular subpopulation of Cuban immigrants which composes only approximately 10 percent of Cubans in the United States is analyzed in detail. The population's unusual characteristics put it in a sensitive position. Will it identify with black Americans or Cuban Americans? If it is rejected by both goups, will it develop its own marginal and polarized sub-community? Traditional patterns of Cuban immigration and settlement are discussed and tentative racial identification data on Cuban-Americans are presented. A list of 104 endnotes concludes the paper. (ETS)