Loving Day

June 12, or Loving Day, is an unofficial holiday set aside to mark the anniversary of the 1967 Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court decision. Loving finally affirmed the right of interracial couples to marry in all fifty states - and, not incidentally, legitimized the very existence of people like me into law - in the sixteen states where such unions were still illegal. In recognition of this anniversary, I have assembled a collection of thirty-two photos depicting both obvious and likely examples of such couples, most of them everyday people, from both before and after the Loving decision, as immortalized via the photographer's lens. Most are drawn from my vintage and antique photo collection.

Montana couple, circa late 1900s/early 1910s

Late nineteenth century Montana had its share of discriminatory practices, even if it was something of an outlier in the U.S. as a whole with its lack of enforced segregation in public schools, universal (male) suffrage, and (until 1909) lack of a law prohibiting interracial marriage between whites and non-whites. Discrimination and prejudice did of course exist, but this couple - if they were a couple, as they appear to be - apparently decided to weather those particular storms together. Photographer Victor Grigsby opened his first Livingston studio in early 1908, placing the time of this photo at around the end of the aughts or the 1910s.

Old European postcard, circa 1908

Around 2002, I built up a collection of digital scans of antique, mostly European, postcard images. Many of these featured nude or semi-nude models, but all were posed. I rarely look through physical specimens of these postcards when I run across large collections, simply because it can be exhausting and hard to find anything interesting enough to justify the effort. This particular example, however, is a unique rarity. As shown by the canceled stamp and by the address on the reverse, this postcard was actually mailed to a recipient in the Paris, France suburbs in March of 1908.

Jack Johnson and Etta Duryea, 1910

This was likely the most famous interracial couple of their era. When divorcée and Brooklyn socialite Etta Duryea wed world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson in January 1911, it caused something of a scandal in both well-to-do circles and among the public at large. This photo of the two was taken by Elmer Chickering, a Boston-based photographer who made a career capturing the likenesses of famous people and celebrities of the day. His subjects included Princess Kaiulani of Hawaii, boxer James Corbett, and famed civil rights activist and Tuskegee University founder Booker T. Washington. Sadly, Johnson's abusiveness and lack of fidelity drove Duryea to commit suicide in September 1912, two and a half years after this photo was taken. (Photo from the Library of Congress)

Man and flapper, likely 1920s/1930s

I'm not sure of the provenance of this photo, or the exact period from which it originates, but it seems likely to date from the 1930s or, at the earliest, from the very late 1920s. This stylish couple appears to be dressed for a night out on the town, and the woman gives me flapper vibes.

1930s couple

The origin of this photo is unknown, but it's said to date to the 1930s and clearly depicts some very formal occasion. The two individuals pictured may have been a couple, or perhaps not, given the degree of formality evident in this photo.

Virginia couple, circa 1930s/1940s

This 8x10 photo is said to date to the 1930s or 1940s, and allegedly came from an estate sale in Virginia. Is this an actual couple? The way they're holding each other and the presence of the ring on the man's finger seem to suggest they were, or at the very least that it was a distinct possibility. If so, the photo's actual origin was almost certainly not the state of Virginia, ground zero for the Loving case decades later.

1940s era family

This photo of a family posed around the Christmas tree supposedly dates to the 1930s or 1940s, with the 1940s seeming more likely.

G.I. and girlfriend

Many soldiers formed relationships with local women while stationed overseas, with many of these partners accompanying them back to America as war brides. I can't confirm the exact date of this photo or whether the couple pictured was actually married or just dating, but the time period appears to have been sometime in the 1940s or 1950s.

Affectionate couple in kimonos and zoris

The provenance of this photo, as with so many of the others presented in this collection, is unknown - perhaps this is a Western serviceman and his Japanese wife? On the strength of this possibility, I'm guessing this dates to the the late 1940s or early 1950s.

Greenwich Village, 1952

This is a souvenir photo from the Village Barn Restaurant on West 8th Street in Greenwich Village, NYC. It cost $1.00 and came in its own paper display frame. It bears a date of February 1, 1952, written in pencil on the back.

1950s couple

Likely the earliest of the color photos featured here, this picture is said to date to the 1950s. Based on the severe fading and the Kodacolor logo on the back, I think that time frame is most likely correct. This couple seems to be very happy.

1950s social event

This photo of a married couple attending a social function appears to date to sometime in the 1950s.

Family photo, 1954

Dating to November 1954 per the date written on the back, this photo appears to depict an extended family.

Jimbo's Bop City, likely 1950s

Bop City (sometimes remembered as Jimbo's Bop City) operated in San Francisco from 1946 until 1965. Located inside an old Victorian-era house, it did business only between the hours of 2 and 6 AM while playing host to a veritable "who's who" of period jazz musicians and artists during its run. This medium format negative likely dates to sometime during the 1950s.

Couple in bucolic setting

This is one of the clearest examples in my collection of a pre-Loving interracial couple. The photo is undated, but appears to date to the 1950s.

1950s newlyweds

This photo of a newlywed couple is said to date to the 1950s and was produced by Hamilton Studios, Ltd. in Bombay (present-day Mumbai).

Couple with children, 1960

This photo from the beginning of the Loving decade hails from parts unknown (though presumably not from the South), and features the photographer's reflection in the glass.

1960s family #1

This is yet another instance of an interracial family in the pre-Loving days. The date written on the back is 1962, and the location, as is so often the case, is unknown. This kind of period photo is always of special interest to me, given my own family background.

1960s family #2

This undated photo of a couple showing off their children dates - I'm guessing - to the 1960s. The location is unknown, but the identities of the family members are written in cursive on the back.

1960s couple

This 1960s couple appears to be having a very good time indeed.

1960s family #3

This photo shows another set of proud parents, posing outside a home with their children. This is said to date to the 1960s.

Wedding, 1960s/early 1970s

This is a very obvious example of a couple from somewhere around the time of the Loving verdict, but I initially doubted the veracity of the claimed 1960s time frame. Research into the watermark on the back ultimately suggested a date between 1961 and 1972. My guess is that this was more likely toward the end of that range rather than the beginning. This example of an interracial wedding photo was wedding photo was remarkably well preserved.

Young couple in photo booth

This is one of a series of photos taken by this couple, and in my opinion it's the best one as they seem to be having a good time hamming it up for the camera.

Polaroid of 1970 couple

This Polaroid photo of a couple holding hands at the very bottom of the image is said to date to 1970.

1973 family

This photo from the early 1970s depicts a happy family dressed up for a photo (well mostly happy, as the youngest appears a bit uncertain).

Young family, 1974

While it can be tricky at times to discern whether whether the people in old photos are actually couples or just friends, this picture quite obviously shows a young family seven years after Loving.

1970s family

This family photo is said to date to sometime during the 1970s.

1980s wedding

This is one of a set of photos I obtained of this particular event. The bride and groom (center and right) appear very happy, as they should be.

Couple at Christmas, circa 1987

The Christmas tree and related holiday décor suggest this Polaroid photo was almost certainly taken around Christmastime, and my attempt at deciphering the manufacturing code on the back suggests a potential date sometime in the 1980s. Well-stored Polaroid photos are highly resistant to fading, meaning that the provenance of this image could be anywhere from 1981 to 2009, or even later if it was taken after the final production run of original Polaroid film packs. My gut, however, tells me it most likely dates to the latter 1980s, probably to 1987. The manufacturing code seems to indicate a film production date of April of that year.

Wedding, probably 1990s

This photo of a happy newlywed couple most likely dates to the 1990s.

Open mic couple, 2011

One of my own photos, this is a candid shot of Dallas area musician David Crandall and his then-girlfriend, Valerie, taken at the Lost Art Open Mic in February 2011.

Mr. and Mrs. Ingold, 2024

We close here with the Ingolds, a couple I'm personally acquainted with, who tied the knot in the fall of 2024. Best wishes to them.