Former Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke with George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week in response to the recent marches in Selma, Ala., and on the current state of race relations in America.

"Well you know, we're always searching for that more perfect union that our Founding Fathers talked to us about," Powell said.

Powell then stated that "enormous progress" has been made since Selma and included himself, President Obama, and Eric Holder as evidence. Yet, he said, there are still "hurdles" for the black community, one of them being state-approved voter ID laws.

Powell admonished the African-American community in combating those laws:

Whatever those states do, you meet the standards and then you make sure you register, you make sure you vote, you make sure you vote for the people who tried to put these barriers, -- these hurdles -- in your way, and you vote them out.

Ultimately, Powell said, it's the people who will change the current system, not politicians and not the next president.

"We the people have the responsibility to make sure that all the people have an opportunity for a full and successful life in this wonderful country of ours," Powell said.

Stephanopoulos asked Powell if he still sees "the dark vein of intolerance" in the Republican Party as he stated back in 2013. Powell replied, "I still see it in the Republican Party, and I still see it in other parts of our country."

"You don't have to be Republican to be touched by this dark vein," Powell continued, "America is still going through this transformation from where we were just 50 or 60 years ago."