Most Blacks Say MLK's Vision Fulfilled, Poll Finds

More than two-thirds of African-Americans believe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision for race relations has been fulfilled -- a figure up sharply from a survey in early 2008. The CNN poll found 69% of blacks said Rev. King's vision has been fulfilled in the more than 45 years since his 1963 "I Have A Dream" speech -- roughly double the 34% who agreed in March 2008.

However, the survey found that whites remain less optimistic. "Whites don't feel the same way -- a majority of them say that the country has not yet fulfilled King's vision," CNN polling director Keating Holland said. However, the number of whites saying the dream has been fulfilled has also gone up since March, from 35% to 46%.

In November, a majority of black respondents said that President-Elect Barack Obama's victory signaled a new era in race relations. A majority today no longer feels that way, although most blacks predict some improvement on racial issues. In November, a majority of blacks for the first time believed that the U.S. would eventually find a solution to its racial problems. A majority of blacks now believe that race relations will always be a problem in this country.

Blacks do believe that the Obama presidency will be good for them: 61% of black respondents say that the quality of life for black Americans will improve over the next four years.