“I believe in recognizing every human being as a human being–neither white, black, brown, or red and when you are dealing with humanity as a family there’s no question of integration or intermarriage. It’s just one human being marrying another human being or one human being living around with another human being.” ~Malcolm X

Happy Loving Day  –Photo credit: Alice Popkorn/Flickr

On June 12 in the United States, although not an official US government holiday, it is the annual Loving Day celebration.

It is the 45th anniversary of the 1967 Supreme Court decision on the Loving vs. Virginia case that involved Mildred and Richard Loving. You see, Mildred was black and Native American descent and Richard was a young white man.

They both fell in love in their early teenage years and when they were both legally of age to marry, they did what most people who are madly in love do, they got married.

Oops, Mildred and Richard found their miscegenation, or the act of a white person and a member of another race  living in marriage or in cohabitation were against the law in their home state, Virginia, and both were criminally charged.

The judge over the their case had these words to say:

“Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.“

Thankfully, over time, the Supreme Court made the following 1967 decision outlawing anti-miscegenation laws and stated it to be unconstitutional under the 14th amendment:

“There can be no doubt that restricting the freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the equal protection clause.”

Pretty amazing huh?

Loving Day events around the United States allows mixed racial couples to celebrate their freedom to marry the human being of their choice and bring some time to reflect on the many advances of mixed-race couples since the 1967 Loving vs. Virginia case.

Here is an activity list from the Loving Day site to jump-start into your own week or month long  Loving Day celebrations:

At Home

• Host an event in your living room or your backyard.
• Host a dinner party, barbecue, or cocktail hour.
• Have a family dinner, game night, or movie night.
• Have a Loving Day-themed book club event.
• Have a pool party.

At School

• Get your campus ethnic, multi-ethnic, and religious groups involved.
• Host a party, lecture, movie screening, or anything else you can think of.
• Host a campus-wide event or an event at your student center.
• Have a gathering in your dorm room or common room.
• Get your fraternity or sorority involved.

At the Office

• Go out to lunch with your coworkers.
• Have a happy hour.
• Have a company picnic or other company event.

In the City

• Have a gathering in your apartment.
• Have a picnic in the park or other public space.
• Go out to a bar, club, or restaurant to celebrate.

With Your Religious Group

• Mention Loving Day in your regular gatherings.
• Encourage your religious or faith-based group to sponsor an event.

With Your Significant Other

• Go out on a special date.
• Cook a romantic dinner.
• Get married on Loving Day!

More Loving Day information: Time article

Did you, by chance,  celebrate Loving Day in a special way? 

Happy Loving Day 2012!