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Posted on Jun 20, 2013

Mildred And Richard Loving: The Love Story That Changed American History

46 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that state laws prohibiting interracial marriage were unconstitutional, thanks to a couple from Virginia who wanted the freedom to marry the person they loved.

by chenyanqing

BuzzFeed University

The story begins in 1950, when Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving first met.

The two grew up and lived in Central Point, Virginia.

However, in Virginia, as it was in almost half of the United States in 1950, interracial marriage was a felony offense.

In 1958, Mildred became pregnant. The couple secretly drove 80 miles to Washington, D.C., which did not have anti-miscegenation laws, and got married.

A month later, the county sheriff burst into the Lovings' home with two deputies and arrested the couple.

The Lovings pled guilty to violating the Racial Integrity Act, and were ordered to leave the state and not return for 25 years.

The couple left for in inner-city DC where they raised a family, but could rarely (and had to separately) return home to Virginia to visit family.

After years of financial hardship and homesickness, and inspired by the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Mildred wrote a letter to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy asking for help.

The ACLU accepted the case, and after years of state appeals, the case of "Loving vs. Virginia" made it all the way to the Supreme Court.

Cohen's argument to the Supreme Court was passionate...

...but Richard Loving's was from the heart.

Finally, on June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court unanimously reached a verdict in the Lovings' favor, and also ruled that anti-miscegenation laws in all states were federally "unenforceable."

Today, over 15% of all American families are multiracial. While we are far from a world totally free of discrimination, our families would not legally exist without the Lovings' dedication to equality, justice, and above all, love.

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Mildred And Richard Loving: The Love Story That Changed American History

The story begins in 1950, when Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving first met.

The two grew up and lived in Central Point, Virginia.

However, in Virginia, as it was in almost half of the United States in 1950, interracial marriage was a felony offense.

In 1958, Mildred became pregnant. The couple secretly drove 80 miles to Washington, D.C., which did not have anti-miscegenation laws, and got married.

A month later, the county sheriff burst into the Lovings' home with two deputies and arrested the couple.

The Lovings pled guilty to violating the Racial Integrity Act, and were ordered to leave the state and not return for 25 years.

The couple left for in inner-city DC where they raised a family, but could rarely (and had to separately) return home to Virginia to visit family.

After years of financial hardship and homesickness, and inspired by the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Mildred wrote a letter to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy asking for help.

The ACLU accepted the case, and after years of state appeals, the case of "Loving vs. Virginia" made it all the way to the Supreme Court.

Cohen's argument to the Supreme Court was passionate...

...but Richard Loving's was from the heart.

Finally, on June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court unanimously reached a verdict in the Lovings' favor, and also ruled that anti-miscegenation laws in all states were federally "unenforceable."

Today, over 15% of all American families are multiracial. While we are far from a world totally free of discrimination, our families would not legally exist without the Lovings' dedication to equality, justice, and above all, love.

So thank you, Mildred and Richard. With all our loving.

Mildred And Richard Loving: The Love Story That Changed American History

The story begins in 1950, when Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving first met.

The two grew up and lived in Central Point, Virginia.

However, in Virginia, as it was in almost half of the United States in 1950, interracial marriage was a felony offense.

In 1958, Mildred became pregnant. The couple secretly drove 80 miles to Washington, D.C., which did not have anti-miscegenation laws, and got married.

A month later, the county sheriff burst into the Lovings' home with two deputies and arrested the couple.

The Lovings pled guilty to violating the Racial Integrity Act, and were ordered to leave the state and not return for 25 years.

The couple left for in inner-city DC where they raised a family, but could rarely (and had to separately) return home to Virginia to visit family.

After years of financial hardship and homesickness, and inspired by the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Mildred wrote a letter to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy asking for help.

The ACLU accepted the case, and after years of state appeals, the case of "Loving vs. Virginia" made it all the way to the Supreme Court.

Cohen's argument to the Supreme Court was passionate...

...but Richard Loving's was from the heart.

Finally, on June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court unanimously reached a verdict in the Lovings' favor, and also ruled that anti-miscegenation laws in all states were federally "unenforceable."

Today, over 15% of all American families are multiracial. While we are far from a world totally free of discrimination, our families would not legally exist without the Lovings' dedication to equality, justice, and above all, love.

So thank you, Mildred and Richard. With all our loving.

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