U.S. race relations improve.

According to a CBS News/The New York Times poll, the state of race relations between blacks and whites in America is better now than in 2008. About 59% of African Americans along with 65% of whites characterize race relations as good compared to just 29% of blacks who felt the same almost a year ago. Some 87% of whites and 61% of African Americans say there's been real progress in eradicating racial discrimination since the 1960s, that's up 37% from polled responses by blacks in 1996.

EDITED BY CAROLYN M. BROWN

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U.S. RACE RELATIONS

      WHITES   BLACKS

2009

GOOD    65%      59%
BAD     21%      30%

2008

GOOD    55%      34%
BAD     29%      59%

Note: Table made from bar graph.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
                                           WHITES    BLACKS

Whites have a better chance to get ahead    26%       51%
Blacks have an advantage                     7%        1%
Both races have equal opportunity           62%       44%

SOURCE: CBS NEWS

Note: Table made from bar graph.