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[EdibleKnife]

Thanks to KSweeley for the original article which suprisingly also includes a reocoring of the oral arguments from the case:

Fifty years after Mildred and Richard Loving's landmark legal challenge shattered the laws against interracial marriage in the U.S., some couples of different races still talk of facing discrimination, disapproval and sometimes outright hostility from their fellow Americans.

Although the racist laws against mixed marriages are gone, several interracial couples said in interviews they still get nasty looks, insults and sometimes even violence when people find out about their relationships.

”I have not yet counseled an interracial wedding where someone didn't have a problem on the bride's or the groom's side," said the Rev. Kimberly D. Lucas of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.


...

Interracial marriages became legal nationwide on June 12, 1967, after the Supreme Court threw out a Virginia law that sent police into the Lovings' bedroom to arrest them just for being who they were: a married black woman and white man.

The Lovings were locked up and given a year in a Virginia prison, with the sentence suspended on the condition that they leave Virginia. Their sentence is memorialized on a marker to go up on Monday in Richmond, Virginia, in their honor.

The Supreme Court's unanimous decision struck down the Virginia law and similar statutes in roughly one-third of the states. Some of those laws went beyond black and white, prohibiting marriages between whites and Native Americans, Filipinos, Indians, Asians and in some states ”all non-whites."

...

But interracial couples can still face hostility from strangers and sometimes violence.

In the 1980s, Michele Farrell, who is white, was dating an African American man and they decided to look around Port Huron, Michigan, for an apartment together. ”I had the woman who was showing the apartment tell us, ‘I don't rent to coloreds. I definitely don't rent to mixed couples,'" Farrell said.

In March, a white man fatally stabbed a 66-year-old black man in New York City, telling the Daily News that he'd intended it as ”a practice run" in a mission to deter interracial relationships. In August 2016 in Olympia, Washington, Daniel Rowe, who is white, walked up to an interracial couple without speaking, stabbed the 47-year-old black man in the abdomen and knifed his 35-year-old white girlfriend. Rowe's victims survived and he was arrested.

And even after the Loving decision, some states tried their best to keep interracial couples from marrying.

In 1974, Joseph and Martha Rossignol got married at night in Natchez, Mississippi, on a Mississippi River bluff after local officials tried to stop them. But they found a willing priest and went ahead anyway.

Alongside this here's a reprint of the AP's article from 1967, explained by The New York Times

EDITOR'S NOTE: On June 12, 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court was wrapping up the final orders for the term. Among the cases before them was that of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple who had been sentenced to a year in jail for violating Virginia's ban on marriage between people of different races. The question posed by the Lovings' plight was simple: Did Virginia's law violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment? The justices' unanimous conclusion also was simple - yes, it does - and felled not only Virginia's law, but similar laws in 15 other states.

In observance of the 50th anniversary of this landmark decision, The Associated Press is republishing its 1967 story by reporter Karl R. Baumann on the Supreme Court's ruling.

AP News: 50 Years After Loving: Interracial Couples Still Face Strife
NYT: AP WAS THERE: Supreme Court Legalizes Interracial Marriage

And before anyone asks or mentions the idea of "old racists dying out", here are the two articles mentioned about the recent attacks on interracial couples

August 2016 - Washington Post
March 2017 - The New York Times

Despite the courts, make no mistake that the hate that caused people to openly attack the Loving couple decades ago is still alive and well; from the street to the highest levels of societal influence. The same mentality that paints black people as a lesser species and white people as superior continues to destroy lives even after many have tried to create true harmony and equality. It's a sad reality but one that people would be wrong to deny or ignore.

 

[sphagnum]

I haven't experienced any sort of external negativity due to my relationship but that's probably because white male/Asian female is probably like the most privileged kind of interracial relationship you can get. My sister has had a bunch of conflict with her husband's famly though - she's Indian (adopted) and married into a white family from Pennsyltucky. Her husband's grandmother won't even see their children because they're not white.

 

[cloudburst]

My good friend, who is black, recently married a white woman; his family wasn't too keen on him marrying a white woman, but they eventually got over it. It's just one of those things I guess. I don't necessarily think it's racism 100% of the time, but more of wanting to preserve one's culture/identity.

Her husband's grandmother won't even see their children because they're not white.

That's really messed up. I would consider that racism, no doubt.

 

[TheMan]

wow, didn't realize it was illegal until 67.

 

[T.v]

wow, didn't realize it was illegal until 67.

Same here, that's incredibly recent.

 

[Khansolo1]

I haven't experienced any sort of external negativity due to my relationship but that's probably because white male/Asian female is probably like the most privileged kind of interracial relationship you can get. My sister has had a bunch of conflict with her husband's famly though - she's Indian (adopted) and married into a white family from Pennsyltucky. Her husband's grandmother won't even see their children because they're not white.

Native American Indian or from the subcontinent Indian?

 

[sphagnum]

Native American Indian or from the subcontinent Indian?

The country, she was born in Mumbai.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

My wife and I haven't seen too many issues. Some of her extended extended family may care, but no one says anything. It's likely because her brother got married to a white girl first and broke the ground for us. I'm white and my wife is half Filipino, half Pakistani.

From my side none of my family has said anythings. It's sometimes weird for my wife to come to my family stuff because it's a whitewash aside from her, but they're all nice about it. Hopefully everything stays this chill

 

[Vital Tundra]

My fathers parents did not like that he married a white woman. I didn't think Puerto Ricans at the time would ever have such a problem with interracial relationships, but they did. There are still times where we will get treated a bit strange if we are together as a family in certain environments.

 

[Atenhaus]

My first long-term relationship was with a black woman (I'm a white man) and even here in the supposedly permissive and progressive Pacific Northwest, we'd get looks and glares from passersby on the streets of Seattle and surrounding areas. Incidentally, our predominately Midwestern and Southern extended family were totally fucking cool with the arrangement.

 

[LionPride]

wow, didn't realize it was illegal until 67.

Same here, that's incredibly recent.

America's been fucked for years

Just facts

 

[Violence Jack]

Aren't there still segregated high school proms in the Deep South?

No one in my family seemed to care what color the person was that I dated except my mother. But once she realized that I was going to marry a white woman, she dropped it. My wife's family absolutely didn't give a shit. But one of the reasons we moved recently was due to the stares, comments, and threats my wife and I got just walking around in public. Where we ended up moving has a plethora of interracial couples of many races, and no one even bats an eye. It's a shame that in 2017 this is still seen as an issue for some people.

 

[cloudburst]

wow, didn't realize it was illegal until 67.

Well, the Supreme Court made interracial maririages legal in 1967, but many states made it legal before that.
But, yeah, that's not a long time ago.

 

[……forgetit]

A woman refused to take me and my fiance's order at a Wendy's yesterday. Interracial couple still have a long way to go.

 

[Escape Goat]

Aren't there still segregated high school proms in the Deep South?

Maybe de facto segregated proms. But if it were officially sanctioned the DOJ would have shut it down.

 

[Heshinsi]

A woman refused to take me and my fiance's order at a Wendy's yesterday. Interracial couple still have a long way to go.

How is that possible? Please tell me you asked to speak to her manager.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

wow, didn't realize it was illegal until 67.

Yeah thats crazy, My grandfather would have been born a crime in the US

 

[TheGreatDirector]

A woman refused to take me and my fiance's order at a Wendy's yesterday. Interracial couple still have a long way to go.

Damn that sucks to hear. Might I ask where this was?

 

[……forgetit]

How is that possible? Please tell me you asked to speak to her manager.

Someone eventually got our order, I got progressively more annoyed but let it be.

Damn that sucks to hear. Might I ask where this was?

Atlanta, GA

 

[Violence Jack]

A woman refused to take me and my fiance's order at a Wendy's yesterday. Interracial couple still have a long way to go.

Had this happen to me too. My white female best friend and I were denied service at a Waffle House in west GA, and we were denied service at some gas station in Mississippi back in the early 2000s. I remembered just knocking my cup of water on the floor and us walking out of the Waffle House.

 

[stuminus3]

I don't necessarily think it's racism 100% of the time, but more of wanting to preserve one's culture/identity.

In my experience the desire to preserve one's culture and identity is 100% rooted in racism.

 

[cloudburst]

Someone eventually got our order, I got progressively more annoyed but let it be.



Atlanta, GA

You let it be? So someone discriminated you and your wife, and you still ate there?

 

[……forgetit]

You let it be? So someone discriminated you and your wife, and you still ate there?

It wasn't an out right "I won't serve you," but instead pretending we weren't there as I said I'm waiting to order, probably went in for 10 minutes before the manager walked up and took our order. Her and the other girl then went into the back and I assume had words. Either way far from the worst that's happened to us so I went "whatever."

 

[cloudburst]

In my experience the desire to preserve one's culture and identity is 100% rooted in racism.

I don't think that's necessarily true.

Racism is based on the stipulation that one's race is superior to another's. Hypothetically, my parents may not want me to marry a woman from Greenland –– not because my race is superior to hers–– but because she might not possess the same values, cultural traditions, or language.

Is that mostly irrational? Yes. Racist? Not necessarily.

It wasn't an out right "I won't serve you," but instead pretending we weren't there as I said I'm waiting to order, probably went in for 10 minutes before the manager walked up and took our order. Her and the other girl then went into the back and I assume had words. Either way far from the worst that's happened to us so I went "whatever."

Sounds like it could be racism towards you, or maybe she's just a rude/lazy employee. Either way, I'm sorry you experience that kind of treatment.

 

[Crimson_Echidna]

I don't think that's necessarily true.

Racism is based on the stipulation that one's race is superior to another's. Hypothetically, my parents may not want me to marry a woman from Greenland –– not because my race is superior to hers–– but because she might not possess the same values, cultural traditions, or language.

Is that mostly irrational? Yes. Racist? Not necessarily.

I mean, there's still prejudice at play.

 

[Mulberry]

I know my grandparents on my fathers side had some difficulties being an interracial couple in the 40s(Mexican/White). I think it was easier in the Midwest for hispanics married to whites than it was in the South for African Americans and whites. Also my grandfather was 17 years older so the appearance of the relationship may have projected white dominance.

I'm mostly white and my wife is all white, but we are the only ones in our immediate families that married white folks. My brothers wife is Thai and my wife's brothers wife is Haitian. There was only a little animosity on my wife's side because she is black. It's hard for some people to root out their deep seeded racism even when there own grandchildren and great grandchildren are black.

 

[kamakazi5]

My wife and I have been together for over 10 years now and I have not seen any outright prejudice against us. We definitely get looks occasionally but nothing more than that. This is in a major metroplex (DFW) but it is Texas so I'm always a bit surprised.

 

[Lord Frieza]

wow, didn't realize it was illegal until 67.

Same here, that's incredibly recent.

You should check out the film Loving about this case. There's probably more in depth books about the case, but it's a great condensed version of the story that eventually lead to the legalizing of interracial marriage.

 

[Mulberry]

In my experience the desire to preserve one's culture and identity is 100% rooted in racism.

I have a good friend who is Navajo. He has tried very hard to preserve his culture and racial identity and I know it is out of fear of it being lost, not racism.

 

[cloudburst]

I mean, there's still prejudice at play.

I don't disagree with you. I just don't think it's necessarily malicious. There is an element of irrationality, though, like I mentioned.

 

[YesThatGuy]

I'm Mexican, married to a PNW girl. Last, and only, time I went with her to NM (Albuquerque), I got stink and malicious looks from white people once they found out where I am from. One "lady" even told me that I had "stolen her[my wife] from them".

I can easily pass for European (and sometimes for middle eastern, just not the kind it makes the southerns go in panic mode).

Makes grateful how much we don't really care about this kind of stuff back home (and, Oh, how I miss my country sometimes).

 

[Ratrat]

In my experience the desire to preserve one's culture and identity is 100% rooted in racism.

Thats easy to say when your culture isnt the one dying out after centuries oppression. Granted its rarely justified like that. I'd say 90% rooted in racisim.

 

[spazchicken]

16 years together and we've never had any issues. Not even from extended family on either side. We live in California though. I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

 

[akira28]

My good friend, who is black, recently married a white woman; his family wasn't too keen on him marrying a white woman, but they eventually got over it. It's just one of those things I guess. I don't necessarily think it's racism 100% of the time, but more of wanting to preserve one's culture/identity.

That's really messed up. I would consider that racism, no doubt.

black identity is so fluid and dynamic that most wouldn't fear loss of black identity if someone is marrying a white person. The identity is inside of you. The people having trouble with that need to meditate on their own identities.


it should also help to illustrate why dolezealization makes no sense.

 

[……forgetit]

Sounds like it could be racism towards you, or maybe she's just a rude/lazy employee. Either way, I'm sorry you experience that kind of treatment.

It was definitely do us being together, she served plenty of black and white people before us, just separately. The second we walked up, ignored for 15 minutes.

 

[akira28]

It was definitely do us being together, she served plenty of black and white people before us, just separately. The second we walked up, ignored for 15 minutes.

are you sure you weren't actually invisible? did you ask your spouse if she had cast an invisibility spell 20 minutes before? I'm just saying it could be a coincident. I don't know why people always assume racism, because it rarely ever happens. I mean I don't see any racism. you know what I mean?

I get, intellectually, that this kind of racism happens, but the reality of it is just crazy to me. I don't get the internal logic of a person who is just doing their job, serving people food, and then just act like seeing an interracial couple is too much for them to continue doing said job.

she can't not serve those black people. that battle's been faught and lost hasn't it? But there are still battles to be faught and won apparently. she didn't have to serve that couple.

 

[WiiredShawn]

It was definitely do us being together, she served plenty of black and white people before us, just separately. The second we walked up, ignored for 15 minutes.

I get, intellectually, that this kind of racism happens, but the reality of it is just crazy to me. I don't get the internal logic of a person who is just doing their job, serving people food, and then just act like seeing an interracial couple is too much for them to continue doing said job.

Like, why does it matter? What would you have lost by just proceeding like normal? Were you terrified that giving the interracial couple food would do damage to your immortal soul?

Then again, you said it was Georgia, so I'm probably expecting too much.

she can't not serve those black people. that battle's been faught and lost hasn't it? But there are still battles to be faught and won apparently. she didn't have to serve that couple.

I'm sure it's something like that, but it's still insane - especially because, uh, the battle against interracial relationships has already been lost. Do you think that by refraining from serving food, you'll keep the couple from eating and having enough energy to procreate?

But of course, there's no logic to this, and I doubt the girl could muster anything beyond "I just don't like interracial couples." It's just irrational tribalism and I hate that.

 

[AtomskEater]

I just spent the weekend meeting my BF's bazillion family members (he's white) and I'm super glad that they all were really chill and nice, no one seemed to give a shit about interracial relationships. This came a week after we watched Get Out together, too.

Edit: Also really nuts to think just 50 years ago it would be illegal for us to get married.

 

[Kimawolf]

Oh its definitely an issue. Me and my GF have no problems when traveling to say LA, Orlando or Vegas. Even in KC generally we dont have issues. But going to her home town which is a small town we do get looks especially when she is being all lovey dovey and wanting to hold hands and stuff.

The worst thing to ever happen in public was a waitress not wanting to serve us at a Wafflehouse. Messed her up pretty badly.

Also now her father accepts me mostly since I bailed his son out of jail when they couldn't. But the mom told me flat out im a nice enough man, she just didn't think her daughter should be with a black guy.

Her grandma lol hates my guts. To be fair my grandma is not fond of white people but is never rude to her.

My family always joked I would be the one to marry a white girl cause I like "white people stuff".

 

[shintoki]

Never heard anything back home, but few times aboard got some looks and some pretty creepy comments.

It does help the majority of friends on both sides are in interracial relationships too.

 

[akira28]

Oh its definitely an issue. Me and my GF have no problems when traveling to say LA, Orlando or Vegas. Even in KC generally we dont have issues. But going to her home town which is a small town we do get looks especially when she is being all lovey dovey and wanting to hold hands and stuff.

The worst thing to ever happen in public was a waitress not wanting to serve us at a Wafflehouse. Messed her up pretty badly.

Also now her father accepts me mostly since I bailed his son out of jail when they couldn't. But the mom told me flat out im a nice enough man, she just didn't think her daughter should be with a black guy.

Her grandma lol hates my guts. To be fair my grandma is not fond of white people but is never rude to her.

My family always joked I would be the one to marry a white girl cause I like "white people stuff".

In some cases it has to die out. In other cases it has to be taught out, and not allowed to be replicated. But it's going to take a long time.

 

[HisImperialMajesty]

I haven't experienced any sort of external negativity due to my relationship but that's probably because white male/Asian female is probably like the most privileged kind of interracial relationship you can get. My sister has had a bunch of conflict with her husband's famly though - she's Indian (adopted) and married into a white family from Pennsyltucky. Her husband's grandmother won't even see their children because they're not white.

Wish it was the same way with Asian male/white female. When I was dating my ex, we would get stares all the time. One time we were at a coffee shop and when I went the bathroom, a lady went up to her and told her "you shouldn't be doing that". Got me so angry when I found out.

 

[ironjoe989]

Reading these comments make me realize how lucky I am to be in an interracial marriage in NYC. We may have gotten some looks, mainly in Flushing (only white guy around sometimes) but we've never been refused service or even dealt with a rude comment. I'm well aware that we're considered the least remarkable pairing(white male​, Asian woman) but I do sometimes wonder how my kids would be looked at in a less racially diverse area.

My dad did make a few comments in the beginning (she love you long long time, blech) but for being incredibly hardcore Republicans, they could care less. I think bringing grandchild into the equation helps as well.

Best of luck to anyone dealing with some of this old school racist nonsense.

 

[cloudburst]

It was definitely do us being together, she served plenty of black and white people before us, just separately. The second we walked up, ignored for 15 minutes.

You handled it better than I would. I would've been very upset. Kudos to you.

 

[Memento_Mori15]

When I visit my home state, we just get looks but I understand we’re a rare sight to behold(Hispanic/Asian). Other than that, we usually receive compliments so I’m glad I have yet to bit be a victim of this.

 

[……forgetit]

You handled it better than I would. I would've been very upset. Kudos to you.

I've been dealing with this shit for 4 years, I'm used to it at this point

 

[OG Shaka Zulu]

Racism is just weird in the nuances. I'm Black and married to a White woman and we've been in NYC for close to 15 years.

When we first started dating most of the ire that came in our direction was from Black women. We had a few incidents of people being out right rude with the comments. Once we had kids, Black women have been nicer to us. Not a single incident since parenthood and Black female strangers have been friendly.

The main constant before and after children have been White males being visibly uncomfortable or giving my wife mean looks. As far as her family, there is only one relative that cut us off as soon as she was pregnant with our first child. He just flat out stopped speaking to us and ignores every attempt at communication. We are definitely on our toes around some white males since the election.

Lastly, we face "well intentioned" racism from some Asian immigrants. They are friendly and chitchat with us about our kids but on several occasions they give me credit for having lightskin children and will straight up say their skin is better.

 

[Miletius]

Asian male with a white woman here. I can't really complain, haven't really faced anything too overt from my end. Her Grandmother once remarked that she missed the "white boy" that she used to date, but that was early on in the relationship and both the grandmother and I have a great relationship now.

Other than that, the only think that sometimes irks me is that people don't actually think we are together sometimes. For example, we'll be in line at a fast casual place and they assume that we aren't paying together, even though we are, in my mind, clearly displaying body language that we are together. Do other interracial couples get this sometimes?

 

[cheezcake]

One of my friends has an Indian father and a white mother. To this day he has never seen or talked to either of his grandfather's as they both completely cut contact with their children when they married.

Asian male with a white woman here. I can't really complain, haven't really faced anything too overt from my end. Her Grandmother once remarked that she missed the "white boy" that she used to date, but that was early on in the relationship and both the grandmother and I have a great relationship now.

Other than that, the only think that sometimes irks me is that people don't actually think we are together sometimes. For example, we'll be in line at a fast casual place and they assume that we aren't paying together, even though we are, in my mind, clearly displaying body language that we are together. Do other interracial couples get this sometimes?

All the time

 

[……forgetit]

Asian male with a white woman here. I can't really complain, haven't really faced anything too overt from my end. Her Grandmother once remarked that she missed the "white boy" that she used to date, but that was early on in the relationship and both the grandmother and I have a great relationship now.

Other than that, the only think that sometimes irks me is that people don't actually think we are together sometimes. For example, we'll be in line at a fast casual place and they assume that we aren't paying together, even though we are, in my mind, clearly displaying body language that we are together. Do other interracial couples get this sometimes?

I got that today, so yep.