Support for marriage equality jumps among African-Americans, polls find

A new poll in Maryland finds support for the state’s recently passed marriage equality law has increased by nearly 20 percent March among African-Americans, and another recent poll saw an 11-point uptick in support among black North Carolinians. A national poll released this week found 59% of African-Americans now say they support marriage for same-sex couples, up from 41% in earlier polls. All of the polls were conducted after President Barack Obama announced his support for marriage equality.

Additionally, Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican who also served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week he had “no problem” with same-sex couples marrying. Powell told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer his friends who are gay and in relationships “are as stable a family as my family is and they raise children.”