INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE - U.S. Supreme Court Case trumps states' rights in Loving v. Virginia in 1967

Grey Villet, a photographer for Life magazine, traveled to Virginia in 1965 to document the story of Richard and Mildred Loving. His photos of the Lovings going about their everyday life appear in the upcoming HBO documentary about their U.S. Supreme Court case.
Grey Villet / Courtesy HBO

Mildred and Richard Loving - A place in history

Loving_v._Virginia

HBO's The Loving Story is the true story of two people in love, but denied the freedom to be married. One was White, one was Black and Native American Indian. Their U.S. Supreme Court case unanimously overturned 16 states' laws against interracial marriage in 1967. Alabama was the last state to resist in the year 2000. If you are subscribed to HBO, you can watch the documentary online at hbo go or watch for the next time it is aired on HBO. I saw it today. It is so well worth seeing.

My personal story is told on a previous post January 12, 2008:
Legal to have skin color and hair color The Loving's case in 1967 was following my first experience of having a boyfriend in 1961, who wasn't my race and how my parents handled it so poorly. I feel a personal connection and understanding to the story in the documentary.

The Loving Story at facebook

twitter The Loving Story

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Going Home - a song used in the documentary, here sung beautifully by Jane Froman

Mildred and Richard Loving of Virginia

This is HBO at its best. And this documentary about miscegenation laws in the USA, exiling the two people in love out of their home state of Virginia for 9 years is one that enters your human heart and resides thereafter. Eight years after their U.S Supreme Court Case was ruled in favor of their being married, a drunk driver ran into them and Richard Loving died as a result.

Mildred Loving lived the remaider of her life surrounded by family and friends in the house that Richard built for her.

Mildred Loving
1939 - 2008.

I was born in 1949. This story lives in me.

Click this post's title to New York Times article about the document The Loving Story

CNN's story 2012/02/16/ Study - US interracial marriage, acceptance growing


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Song at the end of the documentary The Loving Story

Slow Train
Written by Steve Cropper and William Bell

It's a slow, slow train, but it's moving on

Well I've got my ticket, so don't, pass me by
'Cause if I don't get on board, I just might, break down and cry
'Cause I've just got one life, to live, on this earth
Oh, get me there, won't you please, conductor sir

'Cause it's a slow, slow train, but it's moving on

Well everybody gets a ticket, you, you and me
But it's up to you to catch a ride, now that's how it's got to be
And if you want to ride that train to that peaceful, promised land
Oh, you've got to give your heart to Jesus, and put your ticket in his hand

'Cause it's a slow, slow train, but it's moving on
Oh it's a slow, slow train, but it's moving on