Sadly, there are still people who have a problem with marriages like Mildred and Richard’s and my own. While the legal battle has been won permanently via the ACLU and the Supreme Court, prejudice and anti-miscegenationist beliefs are a continuing concern — especially with the resurgence of racism and hate being openly celebrated by so many on the far right in recent years. Despite the Supreme Court ruling, South Carolina and Alabama, shamefully held onto unenforceable statutes outlawing interracial marriages nearly into the 21st century (1998 and 2000) — simply because they could.
Shameful.
This ruling continues to contribute to a much needed dismantling of the ugly legal and “moral” barriers erected by both government and religion that treated love like a crime. Protecting that progress is why I took on Bob Jones University, spoke out against hate groups and said many things that made certain people very uncomfortable over the last 20 years.
So many of us owe Mildred and Richard a debt we can never repay. Preserving their legacy and keeping a watchful eye on those looking to take advantage of the current climate to roll back progress is an appropriate way to honor the sacrifices they both made to make the world a better place for the rest of us.
Sincerely,
James Landrith
Founder and Publisher
The Multiracial Activist