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Loving Day...then and now

Posted by Leticia, 15 Jun

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different day and time...Maybe during the Elizabethan era or in the Wild, Wild West with Bonnie and Clyde? Let's try just 40 years ago, long before there was a world wide web, many people were still fighting for their rights to vote and in the state of Virginia (and a few others), it was illegal to marry someone of a different race? Find out why we celebrate June 12th and why you should too.

Now we've talked about the books, movies and music that has be released over the last twenty years or so that deal with multicultural and interracial relationships. The truth is we don't have to go too far to reach out and literally touch someone that's different than ourselves. But, you do realize that it wasn't always this way? There was a day and time not that long ago that it was not only frowned upon for people to socialize with people of different races, it was against the law.

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Now if you read the book "Mixed Marriages" by Joel Crohn, (it was on Leticia's literary list a few months back). Well, Joel says that the reason that blacks and whites remain the most controversial of the mixed matches is that "American's history of slavery, segregation and bans on interracial marriages had made it hard to forgive and forget". Well, my favorite quote of all time is "forgiving isn't forgetting, it's letting go of the pain". And in order for all of us to move forward as a people of the human race, we must let go. But never forget.

We can't forget the people like Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter who were married in 1958 in Washington, D.C. Six months later, they were arrested, convicted of a felony, and sentenced to a year in jail...all because Richard was white and Mildred was black. The judge stated in an opinion:

"Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix."

It took nine years and the United States Supreme Court to overturn this verdict and strike down this Virginia law on the grounds that it violated their rights to equal protection of the law and due process under the fourteenth Amendment. Read the complete story by clicking here.It may not surprise many of you to know that this type of thinking and injustice took place in 1958, but it does surprise, frighten and anger me that it still exist in 2006. The laws may have changed, but the ignorance and hatred still live on today. Now I know that I'm preachin' to the choir. But as they say, "each one teach one". We should all remember the Loving's and their story and let it be a reminder of what the power of love can really do. True love is worth working for, living for, dying for and searching for...happy hunting from Leticia.

*Don't forget to celebrate June 12th as Loving Day...send a link to this article to at least 20 people and tell them the story. Then call ten people you know and tell them how much they mean to you.

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  1.   mossimo36 says:
    Posted: 19 May 08

    I faced family pressure when I was a teen not to date interracially, but my family is very supportive now of my choices.

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  2.   justknowingu says:
    Posted: 16 Mar 07

    good article...I could say lots of things yet I enjoy reading others comments...Racism in America still exists no doubt...its all in what we in America feel comfortable on viewing---or Maintaining our current view points...sports, in its entirety doesnt take "color" so much into accuont...just perform and put the points up on the board!!!....AMerica and our govenrment as a whole needs to put some real points up on the board,,,And some REAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS....UNTIL THEN...the US..may barely even qualify for the "sweet 16"

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  3.   embraceme says:
    Posted: 16 Nov 06

    nice article.. thank you afro for bring this to everyones attention.

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  4.   Natural72 says:
    Posted: 17 Oct 06

    I am so glad that some of the ignorance has begun to pass. It is just a shame that people really do still give love a color. I was always taught that love is a universal language and with anything, if you limit yourself, you could potential be losing out on alot.

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  5.   Fala says:
    Posted: 06 Oct 06

    I remember reading about the Loving case and I was shocked to know that such a thing could happen. Unfortunately for all the advances we've made in race relations, we still have a long way to go.

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  6.   romeoluvs says:
    Posted: 19 Sep 06

    Racism is still there. Intact in its form since centuries and it wont fade away any sooner.

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  7.   Carla says:
    Posted: 19 Sep 06

    Racism still exist but its not as bad as it was at one time.....I have had some looks...some people stare cause my children are mixed but I see more and more interracial couples today so like I said..its not as bad as it once was....

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  8.   sweetest1 says:
    Posted: 09 Sep 06

    This sort of racism is still in existance today no matter what anyone says... I have been talked about behind my back... had rumors spread about me... and fired from jobs all stemming from the point of unleashing the fact that I have a bi-racial daughter. Being in a marriage with different cultures is hard enough... but when society castes its ugly fist down on the situation it can cause complete turmoil!!

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  9.   Letsdothis says:
    Posted: 26 Jul 06

    I'm a 59 year young black man. I was raised up in Queens New York, when I was coming up I knew nothing about racism, I have an older sister and a younger brother, we had white friends and we all went to school together, ate at each others home, I was in the 11th grade before I found out about racism I even went to a all white school and it didn't bother me. All the kids in that school treated me like I was one of them. I was in the 10th grade when I dated a white woman we walked in school holding hands and no one had ever looked at us any different, She came to my house and I went to her house, our parents never told us about interracial dating. But when I got to the 11th grade all of a sudden things started changing. The girl who was my girlfriend didn't want to see me anymore until this day, I never found out why. Things started changing in school where it got to the point I had to go to another school, That was my first experience with racism, not only that I was being called the (N) word. But to make a long story short, what I went through in that school that did not change the way I felt about people of the other race. I raised four kids and I taught them to love not to hate no matter what color they are, no matter what anyone says we are all God children. And what happened to us 300 years ago, I always say you can forgive but you can't forget. But what really gets to me is people who say who you can marry and who you can't marry. Love has no color, if your heart say I love him or I love her go for it no matter what color they are. So what I'm saying is teach your kids love not hate and maybe one day all people will be one generation. I might not be here but I do think it will happened. Peace and Love to everyone.

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  10.   Msgerman says:
    Posted: 22 Jul 06

    Born and raised in Germany, my upbringing was a lot different. I am the last of 6 and in our home everyone could bring home whomever they wanted...my brothers and sisters dated all kinds of races. When I was 17 and going to the discos I started hanging out with the GI's that were stationed in my hometown, and the black brothers were always what I was attracted to. I did marry one and moved to the US. Did I ever get a wake-up call...I was naive enough to think that people would just love me for who I am...wrong!!!!! And then when my children came along I had to endure stares and comments. But at the end it made me a better and stronger person...and also my children. If anyone thinks that we don't have anymore race conflicts...they are wrong. I am currently living in southern California and believe me...it's here too, they just trying to "suger-coat" it more. I keep teaching my children what my parents have taught me: Look to the inside of the person...My father used to tell me: Don't matter what color he is...or where he's from...as long as he treats you right and you both love each other". Life is too short and we still have to deal with ignorance...that saddens me!!!!!!

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  11.   olga says:
    Posted: 12 Jul 06

    All is excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  12.   bribri26 says:
    Posted: 10 Jul 06

    I feel yall on these comments I really do and i'm not racial or anything but i always wanted to date a white guy but some white guys here in myrtle beach look at cha and turn up their nose like they smell something smelly but i get along with everyone whether they are white or black but most of the time i get along with white people more than i get along with black people especially when i'm at work.

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  13.   malie says:
    Posted: 07 Jul 06

    I am a white woman living in the new SOUTH AFRICA and I still see the discrimination today but I can tell you it is not as bad as it was before. Today I work with blacks and I have many friends among them.

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  14.   Arja says:
    Posted: 25 Jun 06

    Its time to move on teach our kids for better, more caring and loving world - less hate and racism. I believe this starts from home... I know I'm doing exactly that, raising multicultural kids in Finland - where I often enough run into people staring us because we look "so good", happy and balanced. I say we are all one same race and capable of loving each other the same. I love the thought of interracial marriage - so much more life, spice and beat in it. The more you know the less you hate or dislike. Love, peace and understanding :)

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  15.   TECHIE says:
    Posted: 24 Jun 06

    24TH JUNE,2006 AS A MAN OF COLOR..AND MATURE I'VE SEEN THE FOOL IN MANY A PERSON..AS TO ORGIN OF THE FOOL..THE SCALE HAS BEEN TIPPING..KNOWLEDGE IS THE ZONE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE....

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  16.   Sabrina says:
    Posted: 23 Jun 06

    I am so glad that this story is being shared and more people are becoming aware and conscious of the fact that we should truly be thankful for something as simple as being able to date and love whom we choose. Many in this "NOW" generation take so much for granted. And we need to truly embrace the motto, "forgiving is letting go of the pain".

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