Today, in many countries, interracial marriage is commonplace and most don’t even give it a second thought.However, as we all know, it wasn’t always this way in the past.
Celebrities have long been trendsetters, making it no surprise that entertainers, athletes and writers engaged in interracial marriage long before such unions were legal.
While opponents of interracial marriage today often say that such marriages are doomed, a number of longtime Hollywood couples consist of interracial duos.
Attitudes towards Interracial marriage have changed dramatically, in just the last generation.
In the United States it was just 43 years ago when interracial marriage was made fully legal in all 50 states.
On July 11, 1958, newlyweds Richard and Mildred Loving were asleep in bed when three armed police officers burst into the room.
The couple were hauled from their house and thrown into jail, where Mildred remained for several days, all for the crime of getting married.In this particular list I have included only black and white relationships.Pearl Mae Bailey was a famous actress and singer and Louie Bellson was a famous jazz drummer, composer and bandleader.At that time, 24 states across the country had laws strictly prohibiting marriage between people of different races.Five weeks earlier, the longtime couple had learned Mildred was pregnant and decided to wed in defiance of the law. Upon their return to Virginia, they were arrested and found guilty, with the judge informing Mildred that “as long as you live you will be known as a felon.” The Lovings moved to the relative safety of Washington, but longed to return to their home state.Hobson was a well-known name in the entertainment industry being the Chair of the Board of Directors at Dreamworks Animation.