Matriarch Of Interracial Marriage Dies

Mildred Loving, Black Woman Whose Interracial Marriage Led To Landmark Ruling, Was 68

(AP)  Mildred Loving, a black woman whose challenge to Virginia's ban on interracial marriage led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling striking down such laws nationwide, has died, her daughter said Monday.

Peggy Fortune said Loving, 68, died Friday at her home in rural Milford. She did not disclose the cause of death.

Loving and her white husband, Richard, changed history in 1967 when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld their right to marry. The ruling struck down laws banning racially mixed marriages in at least 17 states.

They had married in Washington in 1958, when she was 18. Returning to their Virginia hometown, they were arrested within weeks and convicted on charges of "cohabiting as man and wife, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth," according to their indictments.

The couple avoided a year in jail by agreeing to a sentence mandating that they immediately leave Virginia. They moved to Washington and launched a legal challenge a few years later.

After the Supreme Court ruled, the couple returned to Virginia, where they lived with their children Donald, Peggy and Sidney.

Richard Loving died in 1975 in a car accident that also injured his wife.

In a rare interview with The Associated Press last June, Loving said she wasn't trying to change history - she was just a girl who once fell in love with a boy.

"It wasn't my doing," Loving said. "It was God's work."

[mantaloking]

May she rest in peace. I hope she had a happy life. She lived with dignity and optimism; many ''small'' steps lead to compassionate humanity.

[jnr1005]

May God rest her soul. Because of her me and my soon to be husband can enjoy a happy and legal interracial marriage.

[jnr1005]

May God rest her soul. Because of her me and my soon to be husband can enjoy a happy and legal interracial marriage.

[bks59]

"How far we''ve come" how did we, as a nation, ever get to the divisive point as skin color dictating who cna be associating with whom, it still shocks me to this day the racism that was openly practiced and the remnanta that seem to hang on. while it is relief that ''intersegradatioon marriages'' aren''t banned, it is an embarrassement that such was practiced.

[gheemaster38]

And this story is actually news worthy??? Typical bleeding-heart liberal B.S. Blah-blah-blah
Posted by ban-one1

yea, I guess you are right, Let''s get back to important things like the occupation in Iraq- that Religious war that is going on over there and how we are liberating them rather they want to be or not! Or, gas prices here in America and how we are so fortunate that they can make 33 billion in profits while the majority of the nation suck it up and go broke. OR even, the food crisis. Tuna that was cents a can less then a year ago is now 1.28 as well as other food going up up and away. OR, maybe, the election fiasco. Hmmmm! On second thought, I think I would rather hear about a couple in love happily..

[elkc]

Sounds like the off spring of those who supported Virginia''s ban on interracial marriage in the ''60''s are the same ones harping at gay marriage today. In 40 years will the headlines read "Matriarch Of Gay Marriage Dies"? Some people insist on not learning from past hatred. An anger that causes so much unrest in our nation today, a time when we should be united as a country at war.

[dylanxxv]

And I should care? Millions die daily...This womans death is not news...

[sjw1253]

ban-one1

You are either a moron or a person who has not learned that discrimination is WRONG!!!
What I relate most republicans to be... Self-righteous and judgmental...

Well - actually - you are probably both...

I cannot believe you would have the audacity to question the validity of this news worthy story...

If anything - I believe it warrants a larger story than it has received and wish there was more to this story.

I was a child in 1967 - but heard many stories about the indignaties that our black neighbors/citizens suffered. Not only did I hear the stories but witnessed many incidents myself. I was embarrassed to be a part of the white race...

You certainly could benefit by living in someone else''s shoes... Just think how fortunate you were by the luck of a draw to be born into whatever race that makes you have the sense that you have some superiority over others...

I have looked back at my life many times and realized how had I been born black (or many other circumstances)- I would never have had so many opportunities... For whatever reason that determines our birth circumstances - we should all look at how our lives would be different if we were born under different circumstances - racially - countrywise - and socioeconimically...

Try walking (in your mind) in someone else''s shoes once - it may help you realize that every human being deserves the same rights and opportunities...

[newmark3]

For anyone who is negative about this story need to go and stick there head in the sand. The lady made history just by being courageous and standing up for righteousness and not let evil, hatred racist, and ignorant''s of people stop her from loving another HUMAN. I admire her life that she and her husband loved each other as Real humans do, because that''s what God is, a person who CREATED ALL of us equal and because we are God''s children''s. May she rest in peace.

[sjw1253]

DylanXXV & ban-one1

You should be embarrassed by your posts...

I think it is important to point out that no one with any decency wants to read your KKK - like mentality posts...

It is very sad that in today''s world you feel this way but even worse - that you have no shame in expressing these thoughts...

[jnr1005]

newmark3 and sjw1253 you both could not be more right!

[newmark3]

God Bless you SJW1253 for being person who no what is right and what is wrong. Thank you for being a human being who no that we are ALL God''s children and equal in his eyesight. I am african american and I was raised in the sixties, but because of people like you and other ethnic races we were loved and provided for as a community in D.C. (Georgetown), I cherish my childhood because of the fond interracial relationships that we had among the families of that community who came together for each other. Thanks

[sjw1253]

Thank you Newmark3 - I too have some very fond memories of friendships of other races from the 60''s...

ban-one1 - Please do the world a favor and seek help. You are one sick and ignorant person (well - I guess animal - and not one of our precious animals that we may find in our homes/zoos or in nature... )

It is people such as you who I will not mourn when you are gone as I hope that your off-spring learns from the rest of the world rather than you...

Where on earth do you get your information??? Oh - I know - it is not earth - it is your sick head...

[a-ji]

LOVE holds no bound...

[tatzforme]

Some of these remarks are absolutely disgusting (the racial ones). Who would have thought that people without any brains at all in their heads are able to function??

[mcvet]

Some of these remarks are absolutely disgusting (the racial ones). Who would have thought that people without any brains at all in their heads are able to function??


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Posted by tatzforme at 03:26 PM : May 05, 2008
+ report abuse

LOL Yep they haven''t changed any at all...still the same disgusting garbage they''ve always been.

[cbsguest6]

I wish the best for her family. Her and her husband were very brave to take a stand against ignorance during that time.

[lindaredtail]

This was a wonderful story. Just a little change from the usual stories. A story of the triumph of good over bigotry, prejudice, racism. It is also a story about courage. They could easily have had serious harm done to them. Far more courage than people like Ban1one and DylanXXV have any idea of as they hide at home behind their keyboards to speal their nastiness. Shame on them. That is disgusting. Do we all feel sick? This is 2008 and only those with primitive brains still practice racism.

[navyjimfl]

And I should care? Millions die daily...This womans death is not news... Posted by DylanXXV

what a sad - sad life this DylanXXV must lead....

[dylanxxv]

DylanXXV & ban-one1

You should be embarrassed by your posts...

I think it is important to point out that no one with any decency wants to read your KKK - like mentality posts...

It is very sad that in today''''s world you feel this way but even worse - that you have no shame in expressing these thoughts...

Posted by sjw1253 at 02:08 PM : May 05, 2008



Embarrassed why? How was my post racist?

[dylanxxv]

And I should care? Millions die daily...This womans death is not news...


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Posted by DylanXXV at 01:29 PM : May 05, 2008
+ report abuse

That''''s absolutely NUTS! This Woman made HISTORY! She took on a State tied in Knots by a FASCIST State Government and very ignorant citizens!! She WON and on the eve of the FIRST Black President I''''d say it''''s VERY important news. Now crawl back under your rock and play with your Magic Swastika! Say Sieg Heil now... SIEG HEIL GRAND WIZARD!! Good little Nazi! Dumb as a box of rocks folks!!

Posted by MCVet at 03:37 PM : May 05, 2008


She made history...BIG FRIGGIN WHOOP...How many of you knew about this "history"? Before she died?

[hypnotoad72]

Only 68 years old. Very tragic.

I also question the use of the term "multiracial" as we are all human at the core; it is our actions, not our exterior attributes, that defines us.

And we should care. She took a stand on something she felt important. She is not like Britney Spears, who has a marriage for 55 hours and then has it annulled.

[bhappy2-2]

And I should care? Millions die daily...This womans death is not news... Posted by DylanXXV

Of course it''s news. That is why it is on a news website. It just isn''t news YOU want to know about. So, WHY ARE YOU READING IT? While I may not agree with their decision it was THEIR decision to make and THEIR right to make that decision.

To the Family- My deepest condolences on your loss. You come from very brave and proud stock.

[dog7771]

My parents would have been jailed if the laws hadn''t been changed. Even now, in small pockets of New England, police harass interracial (black man/white woman) couples when they leave nightclubs together. My sister told me, and I didn''t believe her, but when I was there last August, I saw it with my own eyes. Their justification is that the non white men are corrupting the white women. Like those women are so dumb and easy they can''t think for themselves. If an adult (non mentally deficient) woman (of any color) chooses to do drugs, drink, party, or get pregnant out of wedlock, don''t automatically blame her partner, regardless of his race.

[michellem99-2009]

Dear I know about New England. The black/white issue. I am leagally blind. I

[michellem99-2009]

I can''t see the the buttom..I know the hate toward me as a blind person..White and blacks have to walk sep. They can''t be seen togeher..That is not right. I was 15 and a 10 year boy boarded the bus . This Hermon ME. I had no seat mate.. I am white. Told him to sit with me. God Allmighty saw it all. I was pissed. The driver hit Little Franklin Jones as got off the bus. He sat in the seat next to me. The kids called me the N word. I had no idea what it meant. IT WAS SPRING OF 70. The hate of the blind,white/black. A WITCH HUNT..IT NEVER ENDED..

[montielz]

To: DylanXXV:
Where do you think the term "Virginia is for Lovers" came from?

[dylanxxv]

To: DylanXXV:
Where do you think the term "Virginia is for Lovers" came from?

Posted by montielz at 11:21 AM : May 06, 2008

I love it when people spout out their own ignorant version of "facts"...Maybe you should have looked up the facts for yourself so I wouldn''t have to be the one to show off your stupidity...
A team led by George Woltz of Martin and Woltz Inc. of Richmond, Virginia came up with the slogan after winning the Virginia State Travel account in 1968. Originally, they had come up with history ads, "Virginia is for History Lovers"; beach ads, "Virginia is for Beach Lovers"; and mountain ads, "Virginia is for Mountain Lovers". This approach was eventually discarded as too limiting, and the qualifiers were dropped. "Virginia is for Lovers" was born. Martin and Woltz Inc. eventually gained prominence and grew to become The Martin Agency.

[cfin5]

In the book of Numbers, chapter 12, Moses had married an Ethiopian woman and I think racism was the basis for a snide comment made to Moses from Miriam and Aaron. Their comment triggered their own jealousy of the work that the Lord worked through Moses who God said was the meekest man on the whole Earth and was God mad. He immediately came down in a pillar of smoke and called the three out on the tabernacle carpet so to speak and set the record straight about the level of revealing he does to his prophets. Miriam was made white all right,...an instant leper. I''d be whiter than I already am for lack of blood pressure for sure! God doesn''t care about interracial marriage, he does not want believers to marry unbelievers. This is the "Sin of Balaam".