The present study assesses the link between choice of violent methods of suicide & race from the standpoint of two perspectives: differential socio-acceptability & differential availability. Data from the 1990 mortality detail file of the U.S. Public Health Service indicated that although African Americans are less likely to own firearms, they are 2.24 times more likely than Caucasians to choose violent methods of suicide. Implications for future research are discussed. (47 refs)