Skip to content

featuring historical research, writing, and media at st. mary's university

  • World History

    World History

    Menu
    • World History
    • Pre-Classical History (to 600 BCE)
    • Classical History (600 BCE-600 CE)
    • Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE)
    • Early Modern History (1492-1789)
    • Modern History (1789-1914)
    • Global History (1900-present)

    From the Ancient World

    The Battle of Zama: Rome's Vengeance

    Posted by Davis Nickle12/01/2020

    From the Modern World

    The Holy See Takes On The Fight Against Climate Change

    Posted by Victor Rodriguez11/30/2020

    Regional Histories

    Menu
    • African and African American Studies
    • Latin American Studies
  • US History

    Early America

    Menu
    • US-Three Worlds Meet (to 1620)
    • US-Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763)
    • US-Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s)
    • US-Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
    • US-Civil War & Reconstruction (1850-1877)

    Can We All Get Along?: The Fight Against Police Brutality

    Posted by Lindsey Ogle11/23/2020

    The Murder of Kitty Genovese

    Posted by Stephanie Cerda11/14/2019

    Al Capone: The Real Life Scarface

    Posted by Raul Vallejo11/15/2019

    "Faugh A Ballagh," Clear the Way for the Irish Brigade

    Posted by Michael Leary04/05/2019

    A Woman's Shot at Making History: The First Female CEO of Mylan and the EpiPen

    Posted by Courtney Pena11/15/2019

    In the Shadows: Undocumented Life and Human Rights Abuses in the U.S.

    Posted by Manuel Rodriguez11/30/2020

    When An Invisible Threat Took Over the World: COVID-19

    Posted by Aracely Beltran05/27/2020

    The Prosecutor Who Took On The Dream Team

    Posted by Ariana Brown11/26/2019

    Selena Gomez: Her Life Behind the Scenes

    Posted by Judy Reyes12/06/2019

    Rocket Falcon 1: The Art of Failure

    Posted by Bruno Lezama10/03/2019

    ¿Importa el idioma que hablas?

    Posted by Kimberly Parker11/01/2020

    Infamous story of the Beach Boys and Murderous Manic: Charles Manson

    Posted by Mauro Bustamante11/26/2019

    The Voice that Outshined the Rest: The success of Chris Cornell

    Posted by Christian Lopez11/24/2020

    Bullying gone Technological: The Tragic Death of Megan Meier

    Posted by Arsema Abera03/29/2020

    Five Eyes & An Onion: Tor & the Deep Dark Web

    Posted by Stephen Talik04/08/2020

    Walter Cronkite: The Most Trusted Man in America

    Posted by Lesley Martinez04/07/2020

    “Find a miracle, hold onto it, and keep going.” The Story of Elizabeth Smart

    Posted by Mia Hernandez11/07/2020

    Fortnite and Video Game Violence

    Posted by Elizabeth Maguire12/08/2019

    Health at Every Size As a Means to Approach Obesity and Improve a Fat-phobic Society

    Posted by Vanessa Quetzeri12/01/2019

    Adolfo de Jesus Constanzo and His Satanic Cult

    Posted by Briana Montes11/12/2019

    Brian Kemp, The Puppeteer of His Own Election

    Posted by Alexa Montelongo12/01/2020

    Man...Machine...And Everything In Between: How The Creation Of A Dystopian Story Shaped The Future Of Science Fiction

    Posted by Micheal Baladez11/09/2020

    Cambio de Código: Error Generalizado del Spanglish

    Posted by Celeste Pérez González10/27/2020

    The Political Involvement of Twitter

    Posted by Janie Cheverie11/01/2020

    The Lone Star State: The Reality of Gun Legislation In Texas

    Posted by Sofia Almanzan03/30/2020

    Creating a Monster: Richard Ramirez, The Night Stalker

    Posted by Claudia Sanchez05/08/2019

    Like a Virgin: Madonna's Road to Success

    Posted by Andrea Degollado11/14/2019

    Mirror Mirror on the Wall Who’s the Fairest? We All Are. Jameela Jamil’s Fight for Body Positivity and Female Empowerment

    Posted by Maria Martinez05/12/2019

    The First Girl Scout, Juliette Gordon Low

    Posted by Margaret Maguire12/06/2019

    Thomas Gallaudet: The Voice of the Deaf

    Posted by Yazmin Garza04/06/2019

    Contemporary America

    Menu
    • US-Industrial United States (1870-1900)
    • US-Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
    • US-Great Depression & WWII (1929-1945)
    • US-Postwar United States (1945-early 1970s)
    • US-Contemporary United States (1968-present)
  • Themes

    SPICE Categories

    Specialty Categories

    Special Themes

    Menu
    • Social History
    • Political History
    • Environmental History
    • Cultural History
    • Economic History
    Menu
    • Art History
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Gender Studies
    • Human Rights
    • Public Health and Medicine
    • International Relations
    • Linguistics
    Menu
    • Military History
    • Music
    • People
    • Psychology
    • Religion
    • Science & Technology
    • Sports
    Menu
    • Catholic Heritage
    • The Year 1968
    • COVID-19
    • Social Justice
    • Spanish Language
  • Showcase

    Showcase Editions

    • Vol 1 – 2016
      • Vol 1 No 1 Aug-Sep 2016
      • Vol 1 No 2 Oct-Nov 2016
    • Vol 2 – 2017
      • Vol 2 No 1 Jan-Feb 2017
      • Vol 2 No 2 Mar-Apr 2017
      • Vol 2 No 3 Aug-Sep 2017
      • Vol 2 No 4 Oct-Nov 2017
    • Vol 3 – 2018
      • Vol 3 No 1 Jan-Feb 2018
      • Vol 3 No 2 Mar-Apr 2018
      • Vol 3 No 3 Aug-Sep 2018
      • Vol 3 No 4 Oct-Nov 2018
    • Vol 4 – 2019
      • Vol 4 No 1 Jan-Feb 2019
      • Vol 4 No 2 Mar-Apr 2019
      • Vol 4 No 3 Aug-Sep 2019
      • Vol 4 No 4 Oct-Nov 2019
    • Vol 5 – 2020
      • Vol 5 No 1 Jan-Feb 2020
      • Vol 5 No 2 Mar-Apr 2020
      • Vol 5 No 3 Aug-Sep 2020
    Menu
    • Vol 1 – 2016
      • Vol 1 No 1 Aug-Sep 2016
      • Vol 1 No 2 Oct-Nov 2016
    • Vol 2 – 2017
      • Vol 2 No 1 Jan-Feb 2017
      • Vol 2 No 2 Mar-Apr 2017
      • Vol 2 No 3 Aug-Sep 2017
      • Vol 2 No 4 Oct-Nov 2017
    • Vol 3 – 2018
      • Vol 3 No 1 Jan-Feb 2018
      • Vol 3 No 2 Mar-Apr 2018
      • Vol 3 No 3 Aug-Sep 2018
      • Vol 3 No 4 Oct-Nov 2018
    • Vol 4 – 2019
      • Vol 4 No 1 Jan-Feb 2019
      • Vol 4 No 2 Mar-Apr 2019
      • Vol 4 No 3 Aug-Sep 2019
      • Vol 4 No 4 Oct-Nov 2019
    • Vol 5 – 2020
      • Vol 5 No 1 Jan-Feb 2020
      • Vol 5 No 2 Mar-Apr 2020
      • Vol 5 No 3 Aug-Sep 2020
  • About

    Course Readings

    Article Indexes

    About Us

    Menu
    • Course Readings – SC 3300 – Nash
    • Course Readings – SMC 1301 – Wieck
    • Course Readings – PO 4334 – Dr Celine
    • Course Readings _ PO 3365 – Dr Celine
    Menu
    • Course Readings – HS 2321 – Whitener
    • Course Readings – HS 2322 – Whitener
    • Course Readings – SMC 1301 – Whitener
    Menu
    • Our Article/Author Index
    • Award Winning Articles
    Menu
    • Our StMU History Media Project
    • Our Faculty Consultants
    • Our Writers
    • Contact Us
  • African and African American Studies, Cultural History, Descriptive Article, International Relations, People, Political History, Social History, United States History, US-Contemporary United States (1968-present), US-Postwar United States (1945-early 1970s)
  • April 29, 2018

The Love Story of the Lovings

The Lovings | Courtesy Scrutiny Pod
The Lovings | Courtesy Scrutiny Pod
Maria Mancha

Maria Mancha

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the ‘wrong kind of person’ for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights. I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.” – Mildred Loving.1

On June 2, 1958, two childhood sweethearts, residents of Virginia, Mildred Jeter, an 18 year old, half African American and Cherokee woman, and Richard Loving, a 24 year old white man, were married in the District of Columbia, where it is legal for any man and women to marry regardless of their skin color. However, the District of Columbia was one of the few places where interracial marriages were legal. The District of Columbia along with other states believed a person could marry anyone they wanted regardless of the color of their skin. Shortly after  their wedding, they returned to their home in  Virginia. This was July 1958 16 and the State of Virginia did not recognize marriage between interracial couples which led to their arrest in the middle of the night in their home. “The Sheriff barged into the house, walked into their bedroom in the middle of the night, with no permission and demanded to know why they were together. Mr Loving worried of such a possibility told them his marriage license was in the drawer of the nightstand. But the sheriff arrested them anyway and charged them with violating that state’s anti-miscegenation laws prohibiting inter-racial marriages.” 2 They were arrested for violating the States Racial Integrity Act of 1924. The act made it illegal for a white person to marry anyone other than a white person, and were not able to marry unless they could prove the man and women were of pure white blood. If anyone violated this act it could result to 1 to 5 years in prison. In court, the Lovings both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 1 year in prison. When they went to the Virginia Supreme Court Judge Leon M. Bazile found them guilty and suspended their one year sentence “On the condition that the couple leave the state and not return to Virginia together for 25 years.” 3

Mildred, Richard, Peggy, Sidney and Donald Loving united at least. | NY Times 

At that point there was nothing the Lovings could do anymore but leave. They left everything they had, including friends and family and tried to make a life for themselves in Washington DC. They would at times drives back to Virginia to see family and were extremely cautious to not be seen together. They were never together in Virginia unless they were inside the house where no one could see them. Some days Mildred would stay in Virginia and Richard would leave and on some they did the opposite. It was a tiring journey and Mildred could not take it anymore. Washington was not the ideal place where she wanted to raise her kids or live the rest of her life. She yearned for their life was back home in Virginia. During this time the Civil Rights Movement was rising and it inspired Mildred to take a huge step.  In 1964, Mildred wrote to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy hoping he could help. Kennedy then told her to contact the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).  Bernard S. Cohen and Philip J. Hirschkop, ACLU lawyers, were more than eager to take up the case.4

Cohen and Hirschkop decided to take the case to the District Court of Virginia. It took a whole year for the suit to go through. However nothing changed. Judge Bazile’s argument was “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.” 5 His prejudiced response gave them the grounds they needed to appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, however Judge Bazile’s decisions was upheld. It was the time every lawyer dreams of, for them to take the next big step: the Supreme Court. Finally, on April 10, 1967, the case came before the Supreme Court. This was the first time, the Supreme Court had to decide about interracial marriage bans. Neither one of the attorneys had experience in federal courts. Hirschknop was only two years out of law school and Bernard who had been out of law school for over three years, still lacked real experience in the Supreme Court. One of the biggest civil rights cases in the United States was being argued by two lawyers who lacked experience drastically lowering their chance of winning.  Their argument was that Virginia’s law violates both the due process clause of the 14th amendment and the Equal Protection Clause. “The clear and central purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment is to eliminate all official state sources of invidious racial discrimination in the states.” 6 The lawyers used their evidence and knowledge to express how civil rights are part of any person’s constitutional and fundamental human right for pursuit of happiness, no matter the color their skin. The state made its argument based on “equal application theory”. They argued since both received the same punishment, they were not discriminated based upon their race, i.e. there was nothing constitutionally wrong with the court’s decision.

Newspaper from June 12, 1967 to announce the ruling of the Lovings Case banning bans on interracial marriages | Courtesy of Brooklyn History

Neither Mildred nor Richard Loving appeared in court. However Richard sent a letter to the justices “Tell the Court I love my wife and it is just not fair that I cannot live with her in Virginia.”7 The love of the Loving was strong and the United States Supreme Court Justices granted it constitutional protection it deserve equally under the law. On June 6 1967, the Court made its decision. Their unanimous decision ruled in favor of the Loving family. Bernard S. Cohen and Philip J. Hirschkop, won the case for the Lovings and proved the State of Virginia wrong. Loving v. Virginia 1967 forced 16 US states to strike down their anti-miscegenation laws.8. Chief Justice Warren delivered the opinion of the court. He stated “There is patently no legitimate overriding purpose independent of invidious racial discrimination which justifies this classification. The fact that Virginia prohibits only interracial marriages involving white persons demonstrates that the racial classifications must stand on their own justification, as measures designed to maintain White Supremacy.” 9

Cartoon depicting that marriage is still an everyday struggle for many people | Courtesy of The Liberal Spirit

Nine years after the Lovings’ arrest, Mildred and Richard could finally go home in peace. Richard built a house for his wife and 3 children in Virginia where they live together having overturned unjust laws. The battle was finally over, couples of every race could intermarry in any state they chose. The Lovings got to live and raise their children in their home state.  Sadly, this beautiful family’s happiness was cut short when a drunk driver ended the life of Richard Loving on June 29, 1975. Mildred lost sight in her right eye in the same accident. She continued to lived in the house Richard built for her and their children. She never remarried. She could never love anyone as much as she loved Richard. She did not leave her house as much after his death and remained pretty quiet until recent years. She became an even bigger inspiration to many. She was interviewed and asked about her opinion on same sex marriage. She became a huge advocate for same-sex marriage. From her own experience, she knew that the government has no right to tell anyone who they can and cannot marry. Her story helped the landmark 2015 same sex marriage case that made it legal for adult to marry no matter their gender. Last year was the 50th anniversary of the Loving case, and on June 12, we celebrate the unofficial day called “Loving Day” to remember the Loving case and the end of all bans on interracial marriages. Their love is eternal and their case will be remembered as the case that showed hope and love can overcome injustice and discrimination. “Thats what Loving and loving are all about.” 10

  1.  Stolberg, Sheryl G. “50 Years After Loving v. Virginia.” The New York Times. June 11, 2017. Accessed April 28, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/us/50-years-after-loving-v-virginia.html. ↵
  2.  Halman, RW. “Miscegenation: Loving v. Virginia.” Spirit of a Liberal (blog). Accessed April 28, 2018. http://www.theliberalspirit.com/miscegenation-loving-v-virginia/. ↵
  3.  Roberts, Dorothy E. “Loving v. Virginia as a Civil Rights Decision.” Review of Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court Case. 2014, 175-209. Accessed April 28, 2018, http://www.nylslawreview.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2015/02/Volume-59-1.Roberts.pdf. ↵
  4.  Holland, Brynn. “Mildred and Richard: The Love Story That Changed America.” History Stories. February 17, 2017. Accessed April 28, 2018. Mildred and Richard: The Love Story that Changed America. ↵
  5.  Holland, Brynn. “Mildred and Richard: The Love Story That Changed America.” History Stories. February 17, 2017. Accessed April 28, 2018. Mildred and Richard: The Love Story that Changed America. ↵
  6. Loving v. Virginia, 395 (June 12, 1967). ↵
  7.  Holland, Brynn. “Mildred and Richard: The Love Story That Changed America.” History Stories. February 17, 2017. Accessed April 28, 2018. Mildred and Richard: The Love Story that Changed America. ↵
  8. Deniz, Gevrek. “Interracial Marriage, Migration and Loving.” The Review Of Black Political Economyno. 1 (2014): 25. RePEc, EBSCOhost (accessed March 27, 2018) ↵
  9.  Loving v. Virginia, 395 (June 12, 1967). ↵
  10.  Stolberg, Sheryl G. “50 Years After Loving v. Virginia.” The New York Times. June 11, 2017. Accessed April 28, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/us/50-years-after-loving-v-virginia.html. ↵

Tags from the story

  • Civil Rights, Discrimination, Injustice, interracial marriage ban, June 12 1967, Loving v. Virginia, Mildred and Richard Loving, Racism, State of VIrginia, Supreme Court 395

Share this post

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on pinterest
Share on print
Share on email
Maria Mancha

Maria Mancha

Author Portfolio Page

This Post Has 103 Comments

  1. Avatar
    Jakob Trevino 13 Sep 2020 Reply

    Hi Maria, this is an amazing post that you had conducted. I agree with the Lovings, that the government should have no intervention into whom you can marry, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or economic status. The fact that this couple fought for their rights to love one another during the time period shows that true love never fails. Although the marriage was tragically cut short, they were a foundation for future generations.

Comments navigation

Previous commentPrevious

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

StMU History Media

A Student Organization of St. Mary's University of San Antonio Texas

Sponsors

  • College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, St. Mary's University
  • Department of History, St. Mary's University
  • Department of Political Science, St. Mary's University
  • Center for Catholic Studies, St. Mary's University

Support Services

  • The Learning Assistance Center, St. Mary's University
  • Louis J. Blume Library Services, St. Mary's University
  • STRIVE Career Center, St. Mary's University
  • Academic Technology Services, St. Mary's University

About

  • About Us
  • Our Authors
  • Our Archive
  • Contacts

© All rights reserved

Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest