From 1979 through 1988, a total of 217,578 homicides occurred in the United States, an average of approximately 21,000 annually. Homicide rates during this 10-year period were about 1.5 times higher than the rates during the 1950's. The national homicide rate of 10.7/100,000 in 1980 was the highest ever recorded. Homicide occurs disproportionately among young adults. Among the 15- to 34- year-old group, homicide is the fourth most common cause of death among white females, the third most common cause among white males, and the most common cause among both black females and black males. In 1988, nearly two-thirds of homicide victims were killed with a firearm, 75 percent of these with a handgun. More than half of homicide victims were killed by a family member or acquaintance, and about one-third of homicides stemmed from a conflict not associated with another felony. The homicide mortality rate among young black males 15-24 years old has risen 54 percent since 1985. Ninety-nine percent of the increase was due to homicides in which the victim was killed with a firearm. The surveillance data presented in this report should assist public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in addressing this significant public health problem. 7 tables, 10 figures, and 19 references