It was once illegal for whites and blacks to get married. One couple broke the law to be together and we have a national holiday to mark how they changed history.
In our current racially unjust climate, it helps to acknowledge the small advances our country has made in the fight against racism. In 1967, Mildred and Richard Loving (a black woman and white man) didn’t set out to be a part of that fight, they just wanted to marry and live with the person they had fallen in love with and enjoy the same rights as other married couples. The white community, outraged and angry, jailed them for breaking the law. So, the Loving’s were left with no choice but to fight the system that wanted to keep them apart.
They soon became known as the “Love story that changed America.”
In the case of Loving vs. Virginia the United States Supreme court ruled in their favor and thereby ended anti-miscegenation in the states that still upheld it.
Changing the law is only a first step in acknowledging inequality. Having people change their minds and hearts is an entirely different feat.
It takes a level of “don’t care” to be able to thrive in an interracial relationship. Over half a century has passed since the Loving case and although it is more widely accepted, people still stare and whisper when they see mixed race couples in public. Some white father’s still turn their noses up if their daughter has a crush on an African American young man. And this is the reality of America.
National Loving Day is set aside on June 12, the anniversary of the supreme court decision, to acknowledge the simple freedom of being able to marry outside of your race. Not only to acknowledge, but also to celebrate these beautifully diverse unions!
You don’t have to be in an interracial relationship to appreciate the significance of June 12.
As a country with people who are massively pushing for more progression and equality, here are five ways to enjoy the victory that National Loving Day represents:
- Have honest conversations in your home about how racism has impacted you or people you know.
- Watch the movie Loving to get a cinematic experience of what they went through and how they rocked the system with their decision to love despite their partner’s race.
- Find a well-known celebrity who is mixed race and talk to your children about the fact that their parents chose love over racism, so now we can appreciate the talents of said celebrity.
- If you have a mixed-race friend OR friends who are an interracial couple, surprise them with a door dash meal, a bottle of bubbly or simply a phone call to say Happy National Loving Day. They may not even know it exists.
- Have a socially distanced gathering with friends of different races.
Our nation is on the cusp of taking more action to insight racial justice because of the united voices that are demanding change. And like the Loving’s, sometimes that requires pushing back against the system.
Tiffany Lawrence is an experienced journalist, freelance writer and certified parenting strategist. Having navigated through the military spouse world with her husband of 11 years and twins in tow, she is no stranger to the struggles of those who serve. Her work has been featured in national publications including Military Spouse Magazine and monthly in Military Families Magazine.