This paper examines cultural mistrust of whites and its resulting manifestations, particularly Black nationalism. First, working definitions of racism and stress are given, to place cultural mistrust in the context of a coping style used to respond to racism. As one coping style, Black nationalism involved a rejection of White political and social institutions and a concern with developing Black institutions. Next, conceptual and empirical work on the measurement of the Black nationalistic coping style is outlined, and a table is given showing a positive relationship among four identified components of Black nationalism. The final section describes the relationship between measures of Black nationalism and cultural mistrust. Differences and similarities between Afro-American and Black Caribbean students are presented. The paper concludes that cultural mistrust may lead to a new development of self by Black people. (CG)