U.S. Supreme Court
Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967)
Loving v. Virginia
No. 395
Argued April 10, 1967
Decided June 12, 1967

Syllabus
Virginia’s statutory scheme to prevent marriages between persons solely on the basis of racial classifications held to violate the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. (..)

Mr. Chief Justice EARL WARREN

richard-mildred-loving2
The vindication… The court decision that broke racist marriage laws in America

 

Fifty-one years ago, on June 12, 1967, Richard and Mildred Loving of Central Point, Virginia, were vindicated by the U.S. Supreme Court. Their marriage in Washington, D.C. in 1958, he being white and she African-American, was deemed invalid by their home state. The couple was convicted by the state of Virginia for their interracial relationship, leading to imprisonment and a 25-year exile in Washington, D.C.

Despite their harsh treatment, they fought back, taking their case to the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia. (Richard Perry Loving, Mildred Jeter Loving v. Virginia). Richard, a white construction worker, and Mildred, a black housewife, stood up to the large and formidable state of Virginia. Their victory paved the way for countless others, breaking down barriers not just of color. Each year on June 12, America celebrates Loving Day, marking the day the Lovings could officially be a married couple.

loving-family1
Richard, Mildred and his three children

In June 2007, on the fortieth anniversary of their legal victory and a year before her death (at the time Loving v. Virginia was used as a legal precedent in many hearings on the legalization of same-sex marriage), Mildred made a statement:

“I believe all Americans, irrespective of race, gender, or sexual orientation, should have the same freedom to marry. I am not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my names were part of a court case that has helped to reinforce the love, commitment, legitimacy, and family that so many people, whether black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all.” “This is what it means to Love, both as an adjective and a concept…

Lena Horne performs “LOVE”

Crying Game

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