Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s always the third Monday in January. It was first observed 40 years ago this week.
The first Martin Luther King Jr. Day was January 20th, 1986. It’s in honor of his birthday. Last Thursday would have been his 97th.
A new poll asked Americans how much of MLK’s “dream” has become a reality in 2026. And most of us agree things still aren’t perfect, but HAVE improved.
73% think a significant amount of his vision has become a reality since his “I Have a Dream” speech more than 60 years ago. (That includes 40% who said “quite a bit” or “a great deal of it,” and 33% who said “some.”)
Another 19% said “not much” or “very little” progress has been made. (The remaining 8% said “not sure.”)
18% of White people polled said not much progress has been made, compared to 23% of Black people. The poll also found 8% of Americans think we’ve solved racism. 43% say it’s still a major problem.
WalletHub.com ranked the top states that have made the most racial progress since the Civil Rights Movement. Georgia ranks first, followed by Mississippi and Texas.
(YouGov)
