MLK Jr. Day 2026: Race Relations In America, Six Decades Later
Today marks the 40th federal observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, after what would have been Dr. King’s 97th birthday.
Six decades after the peak of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, data suggest its legacy is not necessarily resonating with younger Americans in the same way it does with older generations. This shift comes as both the judicial and executive branches have changed the ways U.S. schools discuss civil rights in recent decades.
I HAVE A DREAM
Some states, mostly GOP-led, have passed laws limiting classroom discussions of race, diversity, and some elements of Black history; while certain blue states have passed laws expanding requirements that students learn about Black history, including the Civil War and slavery.
Some school boards have banned books about MLK. The director of the ACLU’s Racial Justice Program said these changes are creating an environment where “teachers are concerned about whether they will be penalized” for teaching about MLK and civil rights.
Colleges and universities have been at the center of political debate in recent years, particularly around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory (CRT).
Classrooms look different too. The Supreme Court effectively ended race-conscious affirmative action in 2023, a shift that reduced African American enrollment at many elite universities — from about 5% to roughly 1.6% at the California Institute of Technology and 9% to 5% at Princeton from the 2024 fall to 2025 fall.
As instruction becomes varied, some young people are instead getting their primary information about race, inequality, and civil rights history through their social media bubbles.
Despite major progress in breaking down barriers for Black Americans across society in recent decades, an increasing number of Americans now believe racism against Black people in the U.S. is more widespread than 20 years ago.
