Loving v. Virginia Essay -- Miscegenation

Miscegenation: Noun; Marriage, cohabitation, or sexual relations between two members of two separate races. Most commonly used in reference to relations between African Americans and Caucasian Americans (blacks and whites.) In 1960’s nearly 4 out of every 225 marriages was interracial. This was frowned upon in the early to mid 1900’s and this is what two people, Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving had to face. Racial indifference or a racial supremacy has been an issue in America as long as it has existed. It began with the Native Americans on this soil we thrive on today. The whites of the time pushed the Natives of what land they could and fooled them off of the rest of it. They took their children, and tried to conform them into a race they were not, and never would be. From there on, our nation grew larger and more independent. In 1619, 127 years after North America had been discovered, a Dutch man traded his cargo of Africans for food. This gave our nation its first g roup of â€Å"servants.† The uproar of slavery did not start until the 1680’s as far as the records show. The idea of slavery gave some, not all, Caucasian Americans the idea that they were better than the blacks who worked for them. Mind sets like these set the ball in motion for anti-miscegenation laws. 41out of our 50 states had these laws at one time, leaving only 9 states without ever having an anti-miscegenation law. These states being: Alaska, Hawaii, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and New Jersey. 15 of these states abolished these laws only after the Loving V. Virginia case which was ruled on the 12th of June, 1967. That day, this couple got what they had wanted more than anything. They’re home back and their love to be a... ...icant. This one for many families today is very important. These cases are also the reason why during a census you have the opportunity to check multiple races, instead of just one. This case stirred debates of gay marriage, which is a matter of personal opinion. It is up to you whether that is a pro or a con. As we can now see, Loving v. Virginia opened plenty of doors. It took a couple that were strong and would not be beat down by hearing their marriage was illegal or how wrong they were. Richard and Mildred Loving did what every interracial couple wanted to do; make a difference. The couple gained the right to move back to their home with their families, to stay in their hometown peacefully, and to hang their marriage license on the wall and know that it is now recognized by every state. Race made no difference to them, it shouldn’t to anyone else either.