The purpose of this Commission on Civil Rights report is to: (1) provide policymakers and the general public with greater insight into the unique history of mainland Puerto Ricans, and the continuing grave difficulties that afflict a large sector of the community; (2) provide useful source material for further research; and (3) recommend government action to address the special needs of mainland Puerto Ricans. The facts contained in this report confirm that Puerto Ricans comprise a distinct ethnic group. This report also documents uses of specific government laws and programs that are designed to assist Puerto Ricans and other minority groups, and yet have fallen far short of their mandated goals. The data in this report stem from several sources: the Commission hearings on Puerto Ricans conducted in New York City in February 1972; a series of regional studies and open meetings conducted between 1971 and 1976 by the Commission's State Advisory Committees in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Connecticut; research and personal interviews conducted by Commission staff; data developed by the U. S. Bureau of the Census, the U. S. Department of Labor, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and a number of other studies by various scholars, organizations, and government agencies. (Author/JM)