Martin Luther King III, the son of the famous American civil rights activist, says problems affecting indigenous Australians are similar to those of African-Americans.

Dr King was speaking at a reconciliation dinner in Adelaide.

Continuing his father's quest for equality, Dr King says an apology to the Stolen Generations from Prime Minister John Howard would be a real step toward reconciliation in Australia.

Dr King says that, sadly, there are many parallels between African-Americans and Australia's indigenous population.

"The fact that the homeless population in America, the large population, a disproportionate number is African-American," he said.

"The fact that health care, decent health care and decent education do not exist in many areas in African American communities, just as it relates to the indigenous population here."