Recognition: It’s Loving Day in Alexandria

Alexandria, VA – It’s the day after the Democratic primary in Alexandria and what better way to start the day than with love? At Tuesday night’s Alexandria City Council meeting, June 12, 2019, was officially recognized as “Loving Day” in the Port City. But it’s not the kind of love you think, or is it?

Here’s the official proclamation, which was signed by Mayor Justin Wilson and City Clerk Gloria Sitton:

Whereas, in June of 1958, Mildred and Richard Loving were married in the District of Columbia, and chose to settle down in their native home state of Virginia, only to be arrested and charged one month later with miscegenation, which was a felony offense in Virginia code at the time;

and

Whereas, on June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Loving v. Virginia struck down laws against interracial marriage nationwide. Chief Justice Earl Warren delivered the opinion of the Court, which wrote, “Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State;” and

Whereas, today, the tradition and institutions of free marriage throughout the U.S. is not infringed or intruded upon by any laws, and Americans and citizens of the World observe this victory for all marriages to celebrate and uphold this great decision.