A CNN/Essence Magazine, Opinion Research poll conducted last month found significant differences in the way blacks and whites view issues such as racial discrimination and the presidency of Barack Obama.
Fifty-five percent of black Americans say racial discrimination remains a serious problem, about the same level as it was in 2000. Another 28 percent of blacks see racial discrimination as "somewhat serious." Whites have a significantly different perspective with 17 percent believing discrimination continued to be a very serious problem and 39 percent saying it was somewhat serious.
Fifty-two percent of blacks said whites had an unfair economic advantage over them, while only 29 percent of whites agreed.
Thirty-seven percent of blacks said the effect of Obama's election had produced "some improvement" in race relations while 16 percent saw no real change. The margin among whites on that question was 46 percent to 26 percent.
Forty-four percent of blacks said Obama's election meant a whole new era in race relations compared to 19 percent of whites.
Fifty-seven percent of blacks believe Obama will be held to a higher standard than past presidents because of his race while only 27 percent of whites shared that view.
On other issues, blacks were more optimistic than whites on their ability to maintain their standards of living over the next year with 57 percent describing themselves as very confident compared to 38 percent for whites. Asked the same question for the timeframe of the next ten years, 50 percent of blacks were very confident compared to 29 percent of whites.
An overwhelming majority of whites and blacks felt the recession has had the same effect on both.
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