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Mildred Loving, Matriarch of Interracial Marriage, Dies

Mildred Loving

Richard and Mildred Loving gave their name to the landmark Supreme Court ruling that struck down anti-miscegenation laws.

Bettmann/Corbis

From the AP: "A black woman from Virginia whose lawsuit helped end bans on interracial marriage has died.

Mildred Loving and her white husband, Richard, changed history in 1967 when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down laws across the country that prohibited interracial marriages.

Such unions had been banned in at least 17 states.

Loving, who was 68, died Friday at her home in rural Milford."

NPR: Loving Decision: 40 Years of Legal Interracial Unions

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Bless your spirit, Mrs. Loving. You get to see your husband again. Thank you for you and your husband's quiet courage, a courage I wish more of us had. It's still not easy for inter-racial couples like my wife and me, but, thanks to you and Mr. Loving, at least we don't get sent to jail.

Sent by Matthew Scallon | 3:44 PM ET | 05-06-2008

It's not that hard if you're resigned to occasionally having to suffer a fool or two and you'll find them Black & White. I guess it's where you live, but for the most part it's snobbery, mean looks, stares & glares as though some minor victory has been achieved? It doesn't take much effort to ignore.

Whats amusing is the narcissistic & delusional who believe they have jurisdiction (ala Wendy Williams per her News & views clip) over another's personal choice. Narcissistic because they think it's about them, unable to imagine themselves not at the center. And delusion because they assume they have some CONTROL.

Jill Scott stopped in the middle of a concert to say. 'we got to talk about brotha's with White girls'..yes, you read right, in the middle of a concert! Maybe it was the couple she saw in the front row. Now this couple had purchased front row tickets, so they ran out as soon as the show was announced, got front row seats, were standing & dancing the entire time just enjoying themselves & the performance. Apparently none of this registered to Ms Scott, and neither did the fact that the make up of an audience at a California show might be different than one in say Atlanta, Philly or Houston, pretty amazing for an artist. But to the credit of the couple, the girl shock her head and waved her hand in disagreement and they continued partying and enjoying the show.

This notion of proprietorship is the weirdest thing...i guess it's more of a campaign and not based in any reality? One thing for sure, it's not going to reverse.

Some people have just forgotten what real life experience is about. But for those who politicize every aspect of their lives it gets to that.

Sent by Jon J | 5:45 PM ET | 05-08-2008

I find it interesting they got married in 1958 in va..My understand in those days segeregation/jimcrow was a stronghold in the south..Murder,lynching and rape of bw was the normal.If this was a bm well lets just say ebony and jet mag would've call us traders to our race..

Sent by lee | 1:38 PM ET | 05-09-2008

the picture looks scary.

Sent by mary ellen pleasant | 7:39 PM ET | 05-21-2008



   
   
   
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