This report presents a statistical portrait of the demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the black population in the United States that is based primarily on the March 1992 Supplement to the Current Population Survey. Topics covered include: population growth; marital status; family type and distribution; the living arrangements of children; education; employment; unemployment; occupational distribution; family income; earnings; poverty status; and the tenure of householders. Among the findings presented are the following items: (1) between 1980 and 1992, the number of black adults holding a bachelor's degree increased 12 percent; (2) black families had real median income of $21,550 in 1991 compared to $37,780 for white families; (3) between 1980 and March 1992, the black population increased 0.8 percent to 12.3 percent of the total population; (4) in March 1992, 54 percent of blacks lived in the South, whereas 68 percent of the whites lived in the North and West; (5) 8 out of 10 blacks over age 54 lived in metropolitan areas of the country, and within these metropolitan areas, 7 out of 10 lived in the inner cities; (6) between 1980 and 1992 there was a decline in the number of black married couples with an increase in the proportion of black families maintained by women with no spouse; and (7) unemployment is twice as high for blacks as for whites. Appendices provide copies of study questionnaires used, study definitions and explanations, and the source and accuracy of estimates information. (GLR)