National Loving Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

The 12th of June is National Loving Day, which has an interesting appellation. The holiday is, of course, about spreading love, but paradoxically, it also references the names of Mildred and Richard Loving, who fought against laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

The background of National Loving Day

The freedom to marry or not marry a person of a different ethnicity resides with the individual and cannot be violated by the government.

It is difficult to envision a time when this statement was not accurate. The exact inverse was the case in America. On June 12, we commemorate the 1967 decision by the United States Supreme Court to strike down laws in several states that prohibited interracial marriage. The decision was prompted by the 1958 marriage of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple from Virginia, in Loving v. Virginia.

Mildred and Richard were childhood acquaintances who, over time, developed into a romantic relationship. Mildred married Richard on her 18th birthday in 1958 in Washington, after which the couple returned to their birthplace. Two weeks later, the authorities apprehended them. They were unaware that the jurisdiction in which they resided prohibited interracial marriage. The Lovings admitted guilt and agreed to flee Virginia.

After relocating to Washington, D.C., the couple took legal action by submitting a letter to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. The case was forwarded to the American Civil Liberties Union, which ultimately ruled in favour of the Lovings. Richard and Mildred relocated with their three children to their former residence in Virginia. The couple fought against the laws that prohibited their union and eventually won the right to wed. The determination of Richard and Mildred altered the lives of millions of Americans and shaped the nation’s future relationships.

On June 12, 1967, Americans were no longer prohibited from marrying the person they adored solely on the basis of their different races. 16 U.S. states still prohibited interracial marriage at the time of the Supreme Court’s decision, so the ruling was a necessary game-changer. The holiday was not established until 2004, decades after the decision. Ken Tanabe, who grew up in an interracial family with a Japanese father and a Belgian mother, founded the company. He created the holiday with the intention that it would bring together multiethnic families from around the globe.

There is no doubt that restricting the freedom to marry solely on the basis of racial classifications violates the equal protection clause’s core intent.

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NATIONAL LOVING DAY ACTIVITIES

Serve a barbecue.

National Loving Day is frequently observed by hosting backyard barbecues. Invite your loved ones over for delicious cuisine and a celebration of affection. Early June is the ideal time for a summer gathering, and what greater reason could there be than to celebrate a holiday dedicated to love?

Attend a celebration

Numerous communities observe National Loving Day with jubilant festivals and citywide parties. Each year, New York City hosts the premier celebration of the holiday, while other communities also hold parties and gatherings. Find one in your area on LovingDay.org, or contemplate organising your own!

View a film inspired by the occasion.

National Loving Day inspired the creation of the film Loving, a tribute to the pioneering couple. The 2016 film depicts the arrest, legal conflict, and Supreme Court victory of Richard and Mildred Loving nine years later. The film was nominated for an Academy Award and was widely praised by critics. If you prefer documentaries, watch The Loving Story, a 2012 HBO film that reveals little-known details about the couple’s voyage. Reflecting on the struggles that went into securing rights for couples of all races while kicking back on the couch with one of these films is a wonderful way to do so.

5 facts about interracial relationships

Interracial relationships are becoming more prevalent; while this may not be the definitive solution to racism, it certainly helps to bridge the gap between ethnicities.

Few studies have been conducted on the topic, but college students are more likely to date someone of a distinct background or race.

People who have been in an interracial relationship before are more likely to engage in another one.

Unfortunately, bystanders continue to judge and stare at interracial couples.

The exposure each partner receives to various cultures, languages, and traditions is one of the advantages of being in an interracial relationship.

NATIONAL LOVING DAY DATES