Jamie McDaniel
05-06-2008, 11:40 AM
I read in the paper today that Mildred Loving, of Loving versus Virginia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_v._Virginia), recently died.
Some things I didn't realize:
The 1967 Supreme Court decision was unanimous
Similar to Lawrence vs. Texas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_v._Texas), police had broke into their bedroom and arrested them
As a result, they were banned (!) as a couple from the state of Virginia
The judge told them that if God had meant for whites and blacks to mix, he would have not placed them on different continents (using religion to justify one's personal prejudice - hummm.)
The Supreme Court decision struck down the states' miscegenation laws, but some were slow in changing their constitutions. In 2000 Alabama became the last state to officially do so. (The same year that Bob Jones University in South Carolina dropped their rule banning interracial dating.)
In 2007, on the 40th anniversary of the announcement of the Supreme Court ruling, Mrs. Loving gave an interview urging that gay men and lesbians be allowed to marry.
You can find the story at the following link:
www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/us/06loving.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/us/06loving.html)
Added: I see other GLBT groups already reported on this. HRC (http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2008/05/mildred-loving.html) boxturtle (http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/05/05/1937)
Some things I didn't realize:
The 1967 Supreme Court decision was unanimous
Similar to Lawrence vs. Texas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_v._Texas), police had broke into their bedroom and arrested them
As a result, they were banned (!) as a couple from the state of Virginia
The judge told them that if God had meant for whites and blacks to mix, he would have not placed them on different continents (using religion to justify one's personal prejudice - hummm.)
The Supreme Court decision struck down the states' miscegenation laws, but some were slow in changing their constitutions. In 2000 Alabama became the last state to officially do so. (The same year that Bob Jones University in South Carolina dropped their rule banning interracial dating.)
In 2007, on the 40th anniversary of the announcement of the Supreme Court ruling, Mrs. Loving gave an interview urging that gay men and lesbians be allowed to marry.
You can find the story at the following link:
www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/us/06loving.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/us/06loving.html)
Added: I see other GLBT groups already reported on this. HRC (http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2008/05/mildred-loving.html) boxturtle (http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/05/05/1937)