It was a crime in Virginia for Richard Loving, a white man, and Mildred Jeter, a black woman, to marry in 1958, so they married in Washington, DC, only to be arrested in a police raid when they returned home. They were charged with interracial marriage and miscegenation, punishable by five years in prison. The Lovings pleaded guilty, received a suspended sentence, and were ordered to leave the state.
They later challenged their felony convictions and, in 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court held that anti-miscegenation laws “designed to maintain white supremacy” violated the Fourteenth Amendment. The ruling struck down laws in 16 Southern states, allowing interracial couples to marry legally, but public opposition persisted and state constitutions retained unenforceable bans on interracial marriage for decades. Alabama became the last state to remove its ban -- in 2000.
Mildred Loving later reflected: “I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.”
(Above, Richard and Mildred Loving. Francis Miller/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)
This Highlight on Loving v. Virginia is the sixth in a year-long series of excerpts from EJI's A History of Racial Injustice - 2013 Calendar. It's part of our newest initiative addressing race and poverty in America.
The history of racial inequality and economic injustice in the United States has created continuing challenges for all Americans and we believe more must be done to advance our collective goal of equal justice for all. Our first calendar focuses on African American history and is part of an EJI series of forthcoming reports and documents that explore the legacy of racial bias in the United States and its continuing impact on contemporary policies and practices.
Please visit our online timeline, A History of Racial Injustice [1]. The timeline provides expanded content to complement our A History of Racial Injustice 2013 calendar, including new photos and in-depth information about each of the events profiled in our calendar.
Visit us each month for a new Highlight from A History of Racial Injustice.