81% Believe King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Was Great Vision for America’s Future

01/17/2025

Eighty-one percent (81%) of voters nationwide say that the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s was good for America. A Napolitan Institute survey found one reason for that belief is that 80% believe that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. supported America's founding ideals of freedom, equality, and self-governance.

On August 28, 1963, King delivered his historic "I Have a Dream Speech." Eighty-one percent (81%) say that speech was a great vision of what it would mean for the U.S. to truly live out those founding ideals. Over time, that powerful speech has been recognized alongside the Declaration of Independence and Gettysburg Address as a clear expression of America's core values.

King himself is viewed favorably by 82% of Americans today.

It's important to recognize that he was viewed much more negatively in the 1960s. Many, including President Kennedy, thought he was pushing for too much, too fast.

Monday is a national holiday honoring King's birth. Sadly, reaction to the holiday is divided along racial lines King dreamed would one day be a thing of the past.  Fifty-five percent (55%) of Black voters consider it one of our nation's most important holidays. Only 19% of White voters agree. In fact, 20% of Whites say it's one of the least important.

Forty-five percent (45%) of Black voters say they'll do something special to commemorate the day. Just 12% of White Voters agree.

This Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen January 13-14, 2025. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.



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