Thirty-seven percent (37%) of voters nationwide believe that African-Americans face more discrimination than women. A national telephone survey by Rasmussen Reports found that 27% disagree and say that women face more discrimination. Thirty-five percent (35%) are not sure.

As you might expect, perceptions are divided along gender and racial lines. Women are evenly divided on the question. Men, by a two-to-one margin, say that African-Americans face more discrimination.

Among White voters, 34% say African-Americans face more discrimination, 30% say women, and 36% are not sure. African-Americans, by a 61% to 12% margin, say that there is more discrimination based upon race than gender.

Race and gender issues have played a major role in the race for the Democratic Presidential Nomination this year. Data from the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll and state-by-state polls routinely show Barack Obama with overwhelming support from African-American voters while Hillary Clinton draws solid support from White Women. Among Democrats, 45% say African-Americans experience more discrimination while 27% say that Women do.

Eighteen percent (18%) of voters say that they have witnessed acts of discrimination within the past week. That figure includes 14% of White Voters and 38% of African-American voters. Twenty percent (20%) of men say they have witnessed discrimination along with 16% of women.

Younger voters are far more likely than their elders to have seen discrimination. Among those under 30, 34% say they have personally witnessed discrimination. Among Senior Citizens, that figure is just 11%.

Eighty percent (80%) say that relations between White and Black Americans are better than they were in the 1960s. Just 12% disagree. Eighty-five percent (85%) of White voters agree along with 71% of African-Americans. Those old enough to remember the 1960s are somewhat more optimistic on this score than younger voters.

Sixty-one percent (61%) say things are getting better these days while 16% say they are getting worse. Eighteen percent (18%) say neither better nor worse and 5% are not sure. Sixty-three percent (63%) of White voters say things are getting better along with 47% of African-Americans.

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