The Jackson Heart Study (JHS) initial examination, which began in the fall of 2000, included men and women ages 35 to 84, and took 3 years to complete. The coordinating center, located at Jackson State University, collects and analyzes data. The undergraduate training center at Tougaloo College offers coursework to students in public health and epidemiology, and provides practical experience in health research to prepare them for potential careers in these fields. The exam center at the University of Mississippi is responsible for recruiting participants and conducting examinations. JHS is uniquely positioned to answer key questions regarding the excess burden of CVD among African Americans and to address the critical shortage of minority investigators trained in epidemiology and prevention. These questions will be answered by incorporating state-of-the-art physiologic and epidemiologic methods in a stable population-based minority cohort, providing research experience, and building research capabilities at minority institutions. The Second Exam began in September 2005.