Eighty-six percent (86%) of Americans have a favorable opinion of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., including 52% with a Very Favorable opinion of the civil rights leader. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that only 10% have an unfavorable opinion of the man whose life is now celebrated by today’s federal holiday.

King earns positive reviews from 90% of women and 80% of men, 90% of Democrats and 82% of Republicans, 90% of African-Americans and 85% of white adults. His numbers are similar across a full range of demographic groups.

King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968. He was 39 years old. Martin Luther King Day, the newest national holiday, was first observed in 1986. It is held on the third Monday in January, around the time of King's January 15 birthday.

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In a survey taken the Friday and Saturday before the first African-American president is sworn into office, 85% of adults say race relations have improved since the 1960s, with 70% saying things continue to improve today. Americans are more evenly divided on the question of whether we have reached the point where men and women of all races are treated equally—40% say yes and 39% say no.

White and black Americans all see progress since the 1960s, continuing progress today, and are evenly divided on whether people are treated equally.

However, a number of questions continue to show a divide between the races. Overall, 21% of Americans say that Martin Luther King Day is one of the nation’s most important holidays, and 28% say it is one of the least important. For African-Americans, however, 73% consider it one of the most important holidays while a majority of white voters say it is one of the least important.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of black adults say they will do something special to celebrate the King holiday, but they will be accompanied by only 10% of white adults.

Forty-six percent (46%) of blacks say that most Americans are racist, a view shared by 21% of whites. Overall, 25% of all adults say that most Americans are racist.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of black adults say they witnessed racial discrimination in the past week. Sixteen percent (16%) of white voters said the same.

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