A new Rasmussen Reports survey finds that just 33% of adults rate race relations in America as good or excellent, while 15% rate them as poor

Only 38% of Americans think race relations are getting better. Twenty-nine percent (29%) think relations are getting worse, and 29% think they are staying the same. In January 2009, when the nation inaugurated its first African-American president, 70% of voters said relations between blacks and whites were getting better. By October 2009, in the face of increasing opposition to Obama's policies, just 36% said the same, with 33% saying they were staying about the same and 27% who felt relations between the races were getting worse. A plurality (43%) of Americans also don't believe that celebrating King’s birthday as a national holiday helps improve racial tolerance in the country. Thirty-two percent (32%) say that it does, and 25% are not sure. While 35% of white Americans rate race relations as good or excellent, just 28% of African-Americans and 25% of adults of other backgrounds agree. Similarly, 41% of whites say race relations are getting better, but only 28% of blacks and 29% of those of other races feel the same. Blacks are slightly more inclined than whites and those of other race to feel race relations are getting worse. Most adults (53%) of other races and 44% of whites do not think honoring King with a national holiday promotes racial tolerance. But 47% of blacks disagree. Most African-Americans continue to think the nation is moving in the right direction, while most whites and the majority of those of other races feel the country is on the wrong track.