Loving of Loving vs. Virginia passes

[Jamie McDaniel]

I read in the paper today that Mildred Loving, of Loving versus Virginia, recently died.

Some things I didn't realize:

• The 1967 Supreme Court decision was unanimous
• Similar to Lawrence vs. 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

Added: I see other GLBT groups already reported on this. HRC boxturtle

[Gennee]

I read about the case before and reread it on the website you posted. I also heard and read about the Lawrence case in Texas. It sad that there are as many archaic laws. Many of them were not on the books but it was assumed that people of different race could not marry any one who was white.

Thanks for post the site, Jamie.

Gennee