Loving Day: A Tribute to a Diverse America

On June 12, 1967, Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple in Virginia, a state where their marriage was prohibited by law, were vindicated by the U.S. Supreme Court. This year, after the death of George Floyd, this day takes on a special meaning.

Loving Day is not yet included on the American calendar of official holidays, between Memorial Day (the last Monday in May, dedicated to soldiers who died in combat) and Independence Day (celebrated on July 4). Nevertheless, June 12 is still a date that matters for many families on that side of the Atlantic, as this is the day in 1967 when the U.S. Supreme Court sided with Richard and Mildred Loving, who had been fighting for almost 10 years to repeal the law that prohibited interracial marriages in their home state of Virginia.

A Ruling that Changed America

On that day, this historical ruling known as Loving v. Virginia brought down the last legal pillar of segregation in the United States: It overturned laws that in 16 states still prohibited such unions, 13 years after schools started to desegregate in 1954. However, for Richard, a white mason, and Mildred, a young woman of Black and Native American ancestry, it mostly meant the conclusion of a long and painful personal journey marked by humiliation and rejection. The Lovings “fought not for the love of civil rights, but for the civil right to love,” as a plaque reads on one of the walls of the old Caroline County Courthouse in Virginia.*

This fight changed America: Whereas 3% of new marriages were mixed-race in 1967, the share of such marriages grew to 17% in 2015, according to the Pew Research Center, an important research institution in Washington, D.C. Again, according to the Center, “One-in-seven U.S. infants (14%) were multiracial or multiethnic in 2015, nearly triple the share in 1980.” [https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/06/the-rise-of-multiracial-and-multiethnic-babies-in-the-u-s/] The youth expressing their anger today following the death of George Floyd embodies this new face of the United States.

A Timely Message in the Wake of the Floyd Case

To commemorate Loving Day, events have been organized for the past several years at the initiative of a small group advocating for making this a national holiday to celebrate mixed heritage. Right now, only a few states, including Virginia, and several cities (New York, Los Angeles, etc.) have taken the leap. “We coordinate with multiethnic community groups to promote their Loving Day Celebrations all over the United States,” the group founders explained. “We also encourage people to host their own celebrations for friends and family. […] We work hard every day to encourage celebrations, plan events, provide resources, and make Loving Day a new tradition.” [http://www.lovingday.org/what-is-loving-day]

In 2020, such a peculiar year, June 12 takes on a different meaning. First, because of the pandemic: Events were canceled, namely in New York, capital of racial diversity, where the largest event usually takes place. Then, because of George Floyd: While America sees a new wave of anger rising against racism, the message of Richard and Mildred Loving is more relevant than ever. “Loving Day is an opportunity to learn about racial injustice,” the movement’s organizers said in a statement. “When Richard and Mildred Loving were arrested, imprisoned and banished from Virginia for their interracial marriage in 1958, they faced a part of the long-standing systemic and institutionalized racism that continues today. Let’s commit to educating ourselves about the systems that harm the Black community.” [http://www.lovingday.org/]

*Editor’s Note: This quotation, accurately translated, could not be verified.