Finding a Way Home: Mildred and Richard Loving and the Fight for Marriage Equality

by Larry Dane Brimner

Overview

When Mildred and Richard Loving are arrested, jailed, and exiled from their home simply because of their mixed-race marriage, they must challenge the courts and the country in order to secure their civil rights.

Richard Perry Loving and Mildred Jeter Loving wanted to live out their married life near family in Virginia. However, the state refused to let them — because Richard was white and Mildred was black. After being arrested and charged with a crime, the Lovings were forced to leave their home — until they turned to the legal system. In one of the country's most prominent legal battles, Loving v. Virginia, the Lovings secured their future when the court struck down all state laws prohibiting mixed marriage. Acclaimed author Larry Dane Brimner's thorough research and detailed reconstruction of the Loving v. Virginia case memorializes the emotional journey towards marriage equality in this critical addition to his award-winning oeuvre of social justice titles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629797519
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	12/01/2020
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	312,084
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	1260L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Larry Dane Brimner is the award-winning author of a number of civil rights and social justice titles for Calkins Creek, including Accused!, an ALA Notable Book; Blacklisted!; and Twelve Days in May, the 2018 Robert F. Sibert Medal Winner.

Editorial Reviews

A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year
A NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book

★ "Well researched and written as a clear, cohesive narrative, the book portrays the Lovings as a quiet couple who had grown up in a small, racially mixed community and simply wanted to be left alone. Quotes from the Lovings, their attorneys, and court proceedings are used judiciously, while large, well-captioned photos of people and documents bring the drama more sharply into focus. A concise, well-organized account of the landmark Loving v. Virginia case, its significance, and the people at the heart of the story." —Booklist, starred review

"An overview of the landmark 1967 case of Loving v. Virginia that legalized interracial marriage in the United States. Brimner presents the facts in no-nonsense prose while providing context for the couple’s plight: The history of segregation, the impact of the civil rights movement, and background on the judicial system are woven throughout. This thoroughly researched, attractively designed work is rich with primary sources, making history tangible. Brimner adds another strong text to his growing oeuvre of social justice–themed informational texts." —Kirkus Reviews

"[Larry Dane] Brimner discusses the [Loving v. Virgina] case and its legal intricacies as it made its years-long journey through the court system...then segues...to the impact Loving v. Virginia had on defending the right to non-heterosexual marriage, a separate but closely related battle that ultimately cited that precedent to secure marriage equality to couples regardless of gender." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Brimner provides an accessible, succinct introduction to the legal arguments and issues of Loving v. ­Virginia. Recommended for all middle and high school collections." —School Library Journal

"Richard Loving, a white man, and Mildred Jeter, a woman of African and Native ancestry, loved each other and wanted to get married. But that was against the law in Virginia in the 1960s. Brimner weaves together their personal stories...with the larger legacy of prejudice and bigotry in the Jim Crow South. The book is enhanced by black-and-white photographs throughout; candid shots of Richard and Mildred are particularly effective, characterizing the couple as an especially tender and affectionate one. A final chapter explains how this case set the stage for the marriage equality activism at the turn of the twenty-first century that enabled LGBTQ people to marry whom they wish." —The Horn Book 

"This book reveals not only the details of the case involving the interracial marriage between Richard and Mildred but also all types of marriage equality regardless of race, sexuality, or gender. The precedent set by Loving v. Virginia continues to affect decisions made today regarding marriage equality." —School Library Connection

From the Publisher

11/01/2020

Gr 7 Up—This effective account of the Loving v. Virginia case examines the legal process behind the 1967 landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, which ruled that laws banning interracial marriage were unconstitutional. In July of 1958, Mildred and Richard Loving were arrested in their home in the middle of the night for "unlawful cohabitation." Although the couple had married in Washington, DC, the state of Virginia did not recognize their union. When a judge banished the couple from living together in Virginia, they were forced to move to DC, sneaking back to Virginia to visit family and friends. Mildred eventually contacted a lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union and was connected with Bernard S. Cohen, who took on the case. Cohen hoped to overturn laws that he felt were "relics of slavery." Cohen teamed up with another lawyer, Philip Hirschkop. They took the case to the Supreme Court in 1967, where they argued for equal protection under the 14th Amendment for all citizens, and asserted that the Jim Crow marriage laws were meant to keep non-white people as second-class citizens. Brimner details the legal arguments on both sides. A chapter titled "After Loving" describes the fight for marriage equality and how the gay community often drew on the Loving case when forming their legal strategies. High-quality photographs of primary sources and the featured individuals are included. VERDICT Brimner provides an accessible, succinct introduction to the legal arguments and issues of Loving v. Virginia. Recommended for all middle and high school collections.—Kristy Pasquariello, Westwood P.L., MA

School Library Journal

2020-08-14
An overview of the landmark 1967 case of Loving v. Virginia that legalized interracial marriage in the United States.

Richard and Mildred Loving didn’t set out to change marriage laws. Richard was White and Mildred was Black and Native American, and the young couple only wanted to live together as husband and wife. Married in Washington, D.C., in 1958, the newlyweds couldn’t cohabitate in their home state of Virginia because interracial marriage was still illegal there. What followed was almost a decade of arrests, legal battles, and separation until their case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court. Brimner presents the facts in no-nonsense prose while providing context for the couple’s plight: The history of segregation, the impact of the civil rights movement, and background on the judicial system are woven throughout. Brimner presents the debate about whether Mildred was multiracial or only Native American without drawing a definite conclusion. The concluding chapters show how the Loving case had a direct impact on the legalization of same-sex marriage, bringing home the lasting effect of this historic Supreme Court decision. This thoroughly researched, attractively designed work is rich with primary sources, making history tangible. The placement and size of the photos, including intimate family shots, increase the narrative’s appeal and add momentum to every page turn.

Brimner adds another strong text to his growing oeuvre of social justice–themed informational texts. (author’s note, bibliography, source notes, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews