Loving Day

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Loving Day
Observed byUnited States
TypeSecular
SignificanceAnniversary of Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia
Date June 12

Loving Day is an annual national celebration held on June 12, the anniversary of the 1967 United States Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia which struck down all anti-miscegenation laws remaining in sixteen U.S. states. [1] [2] [3] In the United States, anti-miscegenation laws were U.S. state laws banning interracial marriage, mainly forbidding marriage between two different races, until the Warren Court ruled unanimously in 1967 that these state laws were unconstitutional. [4] [5] Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote in the court majority opinion that "the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual, and cannot be infringed by the State." [4]

Contents

Loving Day is not an officially recognized holiday by the U.S. government, despite attempts to make it so. [6] [7] Loving Day is the biggest multiracial celebration in the United States. [8]

History

Loving Day originated with the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia , which invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage. The case was brought by Mildred Loving ( née  Jeter), a woman of Black and Native American descent [9] classified as "colored" under Virginia's Racial Integrity Act of 1924, and Richard Loving, a white man. The couple met in Central Point, Virginia, when she was 11 and he was 17. [10] Richard Loving was a family friend and they courted over the years. On June 2nd, 1958, after she became pregnant, they married in Washington, D.C. [11] [9] Mildred Loving was 18 at the time and reportedly did not realize that interracial marriage was illegal. [11] Five weeks following their wedding, they were arrested and returned to their hometown north of Richmond, Virginia. [9] [12] They pleaded guilty to charges of "cohabiting as man and wife, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth." The Lovings were sentenced to a year in prison but avoided jail time by leaving Virginia and agreeing not to return to the state for 25 years. [13] [11]

The Lovings moved to Washington, D.C., and began legal action by writing to U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. [14] Kennedy referred the case to the American Civil Liberties Union. Two lawyers, Bernard Cohen and Philip Hirschkop, took up the case, arguing that the Virginia law violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. [11]

The Warren Court unanimously ruled in favor of the young couple on June 12, 1967, nine years after their wedding, and they returned to Virginia, where they lived with their three children. [11] The court's ruling eliminated anti-miscegenation laws in all 16 states that had them. [12]

In 1975, Richard Loving died in a car accident. Mildred Loving died May 5, 2008, at the age of 68. [15]

Legacy

Many organizations sponsor annual parties across the country, with Lovingday.org providing an online legal map, courtroom history of anti-miscegenation laws, as well as offering testimonials by and resources for interracial couples. Inspired by Juneteenth (which commemorates the end of slavery in the state of Texas), Loving Day seeks both to commemorate and celebrate the Supreme Court's 1967 ruling, keeping its importance fresh in the minds of a generation which has grown up with interracial relationships being legal, as well as explore issues facing couples currently in interracial relationships. The Loving Day website features information, including court transcripts of the Loving v. Virginia case and of other court cases in which the legality of anti-miscegenation laws was challenged. To celebrate the holiday, people are encouraged to hold parties in which the case and its modern-day legacy are discussed, in smaller settings such as living rooms, backyards, etc., as well as in larger gatherings. Ken Tanabe is credited with forming the idea for Loving Day. He created the idea in 2004 for his senior thesis at Parsons the New School of Design. [8]

Outside the U.S.

Since 2013, [35] [36] Loving Day has been celebrated with an annual symposium at De Balie theater in Amsterdam, organized by the Stichting Loving Day foundation. [37]

See also

Related Research Articles

Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967), was a landmark civil rights decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that laws banning interracial marriage violate the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The case involved Mildred Loving, a woman of color, and her white husband Richard Loving, who in 1958 were sentenced to a year in prison for marrying each other. Their marriage violated Virginia's Racial Integrity Act of 1924, which criminalized marriage between people classified as "white" and people classified as "colored". The Lovings appealed their conviction to the Supreme Court of Virginia, which upheld it. They then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which agreed to hear their case.

McLaughlin v. Florida, 379 U.S. 184 (1964), was a case in which the United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a cohabitation law of Florida, part of the state's anti-miscegenation laws, was unconstitutional. The law prohibited habitual cohabitation by two unmarried people of opposite sex, if one was black and the other was white. The decision overturned Pace v. Alabama (1883), which had declared such statutes constitutional. It did not overturn the related Florida statute that prohibited interracial marriage between whites and blacks. Such laws were declared unconstitutional in 1967 in Loving v. Virginia.

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Perez v. Sharp, also known as Perez v. Lippold or Perez v. Moroney, is a 1948 case decided by the Supreme Court of California in which the court held by a 4–3 majority that the state's ban on interracial marriage violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry L. Carrico</span> American judge

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mildred and Richard Loving</span> Plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia

Mildred Delores Loving and Richard Perry Loving were an American married couple who were the plaintiffs in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia (1967). Their marriage has been the subject of three movies, including the 2016 drama Loving, and several songs. The Lovings were criminally charged with interracial marriage under a Virginia statute banning such marriages, and were forced to leave the state to avoid being jailed. They moved to Washington, D.C., but wanted to return to their home town. With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), they filed suit to overturn the law. In 1967, the Supreme Court ruled in their favor, striking down the Virginia statute and all state anti-miscegenation laws as unconstitutional, for violating due process and equal protection of the law under the Fourteenth Amendment. On June 29, 1975, a drunk driver struck the Lovings' car in Caroline County, Virginia. Richard was killed in the crash, at the age of 41. Mildred lost her right eye.

Pace v. Alabama, 106 U.S. 583 (1883), was a case in which the United States Supreme Court affirmed that Alabama's anti-miscegenation statute was constitutional. This ruling was rejected by the Supreme Court in 1964 in McLaughlin v. Florida and in 1967 in Loving v. Virginia. Pace v. Alabama is one of the oldest court cases in America pertaining to interracial sex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interracial marriage in the United States</span>

Interracial marriage has been legal throughout the United States since at least the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia (1967) that held that anti-miscegenation laws were unconstitutional via the 14th Amendment adopted in 1868. Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote in the court opinion that "the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual, and cannot be infringed by the State." Since Loving, several states repealed their defunct bans, the last of which was Alabama in a 2000 referendum. Interracial marriages have been formally protected by federal statute through the Respect for Marriage Act since 2022.

Bernard S. Cohen was a civil liberties attorney and Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates. On April 10, 1967, appearing with co-counsel Philip Hirschkop on behalf of the ACLU, Cohen presented oral argument for the petitioners in Loving v. Virginia before the U. S. Supreme Court. On June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cohen's clients, declaring bans on interracial marriage unconstitutional, thus invalidating the anti-miscegenation laws of 15 states.

Anti-miscegenation laws are laws that enforce racial segregation at the level of marriage and intimate relationships by criminalizing interracial marriage and sometimes also sex between members of different races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Point, Virginia</span> Unincorporated community in Virginia, United States

Central Point is an unincorporated community in Caroline County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-miscegenation laws in the United States</span> Laws against interracial marriage

In the United States, anti-miscegenation laws were passed by most states to prohibit interracial marriage, and in some cases also prohibit interracial sexual relations. Some such laws predate the establishment of the United States, some dating to the later 17th or early 18th century, a century or more after the complete racialization of slavery. Nine states never enacted such laws; 25 states had repealed their laws by 1967, when the United States Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that such laws were unconstitutional in the remaining 16 states. The term miscegenation was first used in 1863, during the American Civil War, by journalists to discredit the abolitionist movement by stirring up debate over the prospect of interracial marriage after the abolition of slavery.

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<i>Loving</i> (2016 film) 2016 film by Jeff Nichols

Loving is a 2016 American biographical romantic drama film which tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, the plaintiffs in the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia, which invalidated state laws prohibiting interracial marriage. The film was produced by Big Beach and Raindog Films, and distributed by Focus Features. The film takes inspiration from The Loving Story (2011) by Nancy Buirski, a documentary which follows the Lovings and their landmark case.

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Philip Jay Hirschkop is an American civil rights lawyer. With fellow American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) volunteer cooperating attorney Bernard S. Cohen, the two represented Mildred and Richard Loving in several court cases to overturn the Lovings' conviction for interracial marriage in the state of Virginia. The case eventually reached the United States Supreme Court, and on April 10, 1967, Hirschkop and Cohen were permitted to share the oral argument for the Lovings. In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the Lovings in Loving v. Virginia, overturning their conviction and ending the enforcement of state bans on interracial marriage.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Alabama Amendment 2</span> Allowed interracial marriage

2000 Alabama Amendment 2, also known as the Alabama Interracial Marriage Amendment, was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Alabama to remove Alabama's ban on interracial marriage. Interracial marriage had already been legalized nationwide 33 years prior in 1967, following Loving v. Virginia, making the vote symbolic. The amendment was approved with 59.5% voting yes, a 19 percentage point margin, though 25 of Alabama's 67 counties voted against it. Alabama was the last state to officially repeal its anti-miscegenation laws.

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<i>Loving</i> (soundtrack) 2016 soundtrack album by David Wingo

Loving (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album for the 2016 film of the same name directed by Jeff Nichols, taking inspiration from Nancy Buirski's documentary The Loving Story (2011). The film documents the life of Richard and Mildred Loving, the plaintiffs in the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court (the Warren Court) decision Loving v. Virginia, which invalidated state laws prohibiting interracial marriage, and stars Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton as Mildred and Richard Loving. The film was produced by Big Beach and Raindog Films, and distributed worldwide by Focus Features.

References

  1. ↑ Tucker, Neely (June 13, 2006). "Loving Day Recalls a Time When the Union of a Man And a Woman Was Banned". The Washington Post.
  2. ↑ Bussel, Rachel Kramer (June 6, 2006). "Love Actually: Talking with Ken Tanabe, founder of Loving Day". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on July 2, 2006.
  3. ↑ Gandin Le, Jennifer (June 8, 2007). "Loving Day: It's Not a Hallmark Holiday". The Huffington Post.
  4. 1 2 "Loving v. Virginia". Oyez. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  5. ↑ Shay, Christopher (June 11, 2010). "Loving Day". Time. ISSN   0040-781X . Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Make Loving Day Official". lovingday.org. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  7. ↑ "'Loving Day' Personified in Presidential Race". NPR.org. June 12, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  8. 1 2 Shay, Christopher (June 11, 2010). "Loving Day". Time .
  9. 1 2 3 "June 12 is Loving Day — when interracial marriage finally became legal in the U.S." NPR. June 12, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  10. ↑ "The History Behind Loving Day". Time. June 10, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Walker, Dionne (June 10, 2007). "Pioneer of Interracial Marriage Looks Back". USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 "Loving v. Virginia legalized interracial marriage nationwide. The story behind it will now become an opera". The Virginian-Pilot. May 19, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  13. ↑ Earl Warren (June 12, 1967). "LOVING v. VIRGINIA". Archived from the original on November 18, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016. On January 6, 1959, the Lovings pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced to one year in jail; however, the trial judge suspended the sentence for a period of 25 years on the condition that the Lovings leave the State and not return to Virginia together for 25 years ... After their convictions, the Lovings took up residence in the District of Columbia.
  14. ↑ "Mildred Loving, Key Figure in Civil Rights Era, Dies". PBS NewsHour. May 6, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  15. ↑ Martin, Douglas (May 6, 2008). "Mildred Loving, Who Battled Ban on Mixed-Race Marriage, Dies at 68". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Loving Movie | Official Website | Trailers and Release Dates | Focus Features". Loving Movie | Official Website | Trailers and Release Dates | Focus Features. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The Loving Story" . Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  18. ↑ HBO Documentary Films: The Loving Story Trailer
  19. ↑ The New York Times Lens blog, "The Heart of the Matter: Love", Jan. 18, 2012
  20. ↑ HBO Documentary Films: The Loving Story
  21. ↑ "Documentary Examines US Struggle to End Bans on Interracial Marriage". VOA. May 2, 2011. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  22. ↑ Fredericksburg (VA) Star: "Film retells Lovings' love story", Feb. 6, 2012 Archived February 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  23. ↑ The New York Times Sunday Book Review: "The Bluest Eye", Feb. 28, 2010
  24. ↑ New York Times "Best Sellers: Paperback Trade Fiction", Sunday, March 13th, 2011
  25. ↑ Mixed Roots Film and Literary Festival
  26. ↑ "Interview with author Heidi Durrow, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky". Psychology Today. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  27. ↑ BBC World 24: Our World: Loving vs Virginia, part 3
  28. ↑ "Loving Day Honors Mixed-Marriage, Fights Prejudice". June 11, 2010. Archived from the original on June 13, 2010.
  29. ↑ "Loving Day Marks 1967 Victory for Legal Interracial Marriage". VOA. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  30. ↑ NPR: "Celebrating 40 Years of Loving Day", June 11, 2008
  31. ↑ The Washington Post: "Mildred Loving Followed Her Heart and Made History", May 6, 2008
  32. ↑ Remembering Mr. and Mrs. Loving. YouTube. June 9, 2010. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  33. ↑ Caroline County Official Proclamation of June 12 as Loving Day Archived October 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  34. ↑ ACLU of Virginia: "Emotional Gathering in Caroline County Celebrates ACLU Case Striking Down Virginia's Anti-Miscegenation Law", Feb. 5. 2012
  35. ↑ Official announcement for the first LovingDay.NL symposium on Vijfeeuwenimmigratie (“Five Centuries of Immigration”) website (nl)
  36. ↑ Program of 2013 LovingDay.NL symposium on Vijfeeuwenimmigratie website (nl)
  37. ↑ LovingDay. "Loving Day 2015". lovingday.nl. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
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