When Interracial Marriage was a Crime

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 15:02
Submitted by Carlin Ross

It's hard to believe that up until 1967 it was a crime to marry outside your race in 16 states in America.  I remember studying Loving v. Virginia in Con Law and imagining police coming into my home, dragging me and my husband out of bed, and throwing us in jail simply because we were married. 

The Loving Story will air on HBO this February 14th and I can't wait to watch this documentary.  Where did this couple find the courage and strength to take on the miscegenation laws with three beautiful children...they could have been lynched. 

Before her death, Mrs. Loving released a statement in support of same-sex marriage.

"Not a day goes by that I don't think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the "wrong kind of person" for me to marry.

I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry."

One day we'll look back this whole gay marriage debate and it will seem so ridiculous, so backward - we'll wonder why it was even an issue in the first place.

Sex, Politics & More Sex

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
By submitting this form, you accept the Mollom privacy policy.