Loving Day

Loving Day commemorates the day when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned all anti-fraud laws in 1967.

History of Loving Day

It is believed that the freedom to marry or not to marry of a person of a different race residing with that individual and cannot be infringed upon by the state.

It is hard to imagine that there was a time when this statement was not true. The reality in the US is the opposite of this. Every June 12th, we respect the 1967 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to repeal laws in some states that prohibit interracial marriage. The decision was made by Loving vs. Virginia, a court case involving in Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple from Virginia married in 1958.

Mildred and Richard started as childhood friends and over the years their friendship developed into love. On her 18th birthday, in 1958, Mildred married Richard in Washington, after which the couple returned to their hometown. Two weeks later, they were arrested by the authorities. Unbeknownst to the two, their state of residence considers interracial marriage illegal. Confessing guilt, Loving agreed to leave Virginia.

After moving to Washington D.C., the couple pursued legal action by writing a petition to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. The case was referred to the American Civil Liberties Union and ultimately, ruled in favor of Lovers. Richard and Mildred came back to their home in Virginia, where they lived with their three children. The couple fought against the law banning their partnership and eventually won the right to marry. Richard and Mildred's determination changed the lives of millions of Americans and shaped the future of domestic relationships.

As of June 12th, 1967, Americans are no longer prohibited from marrying someone they love just because they are of different races. At the time of the Supreme Court's decision, 16 US states still banned interracial marriage, so this ruling was a necessary game changer. Loving Day was not founded until decades after the decision in 2004. It was introduced by Ken Tanabe, who grew up in a multiracial family with a Japanese father and Belgian mother. He launched the holiday in the hope that the celebration would bring together multi-ethnic families from around the world.

Moreover, it is sure that the restriction of the freedom to marry due to racial classification is a sign of violating the equal protection clause.

Tradition of Loving Day

Loving Day is to celebrate love that transcends boundaries. People who love have set a precedent, and have been a symbol of love against all difficulties for many. Their love story is appreciated. In addition, interracial married couples share their stories via the social media as an inspiration to others.

Different messages of love and marriage are encouraged and shared online, and support is extended to people of different ethnicities who want to marry someone who is not in the same situation as them. These days, movies revolving around love stories between people from different backgrounds are watched a lot, and discussions about the topic of marriage are held on various social media platforms.

How to celebrate Loving Day

• Organize a barbecue party

Loving Day is usually celebrated with a backyard barbecue. Invite your family and friends to enjoy delicious food and celebrate love. Early June is the perfect time for a summer getaway and what better reason than to celebrate a holiday devoted to love?

• Attend a festival

Many communities mark Loving Day with joyful festivals and city-wide celebrations. New York City holds its annual celebration of the holiday, and other communities also host parties and gatherings. Find a site near you at LovingDay.org or consider organizing your own!

• Watch a holiday-inspired movie

Loving Day inspired the movie Loving, a cinematic tribute to the couple who started it all. The film, released in 2016, tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving's arrest, legal battle and eventual Supreme Court victory nine years later. The film was nominated for an Oscar and received critical acclaim. If documentaries suit your style better, hit play on Love Story, a 2012 HBO series that shares lesser-known details about the couple's journey. Getting back on the couch with one of these films is a great way to reflect on the rights struggles for couples of all races.

Some reasons for Loving Day being loved

• Love is appreciated in all forms

Loving Day is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the fact that love does not discriminate and that millions of families across the United States and around the world include many races and ethnicities. Love is love in actual and what is more beautiful than it?

• It honors the bravery of the couple

Richard and Mildred Loving's bold choice created a better future for a lot of their fellow Americans. Had the Supreme Court not ruled in their favor, millions of happy families comprising more than one race might not exist today? The freedom to marry anyone we love has been granted much more recently than most of us realize, and it's important to protect that right in every way possible. Loving Day is a great reminder to appreciate our current freedoms and to ensure our rights are always recognized.

• It spreads awareness

Loving Day is a great signal to eliminate discrimination and treat all families and couples with the respect they deserve. It's also a reminder that race isn't what matters in a happy relationship - what matters is a happy and compatible couple.