Interracial marriage illegal?

To my astonishment, I just read that interracial marriage used to be illegal in some parts of America. I know there're a lot of Americans here so I thought I'd ask you guys about it.

From what I gather, this law was still around in the 1960s. How long ago was it abolished?

Do you know anyone who was affected by the law? Did it mean your parents could only date people of their own race? That must have sucked!

And most importantly, does anyone know why it was illegal? Surely it was just made up by racists and there was no real reason?

 

there was no real reason.

but like there's no real reason that gay marriage isnt allowed.

 

No reason at all, it was pretty obviously rascism. I've heard stories of black men being beaten for dating white women in the '50s. It sounded really terrible. I've dated a few black girls and nothing seemed weird though (I live in Texas) There was never a Federal Law that said interacial marriges were Illegal, but it was illegal in many states. I think the supreme court struck down those laws in the '60s.

 

Didn't anyone ever see Showboat??

 

Racists were the norm then. No matter the laws said, black people were still second class citizens.....wasn't that long ago

 

I am not sure why this would surprise anyone. During times of slavery, there is no way interracial marriages would be legal. As far as why, look at our past and present. I would be shocked if it was legal. With the way things are going, who knows if it will be legal in the future? We can't count on anything for sure anymore. I know we never really could be sure of anything, but I feel like I am constantly on edge now. It's all just really scary stuff. I know I should get more in politics like I used to, but I feel like it's just tearing me apart inside. Then, I end up feeling guilty when I am not active enough. I know I am getting off track here, I just have to vent. Peace to all of you.. Keep on truckin'. Together we can do this..

 

I just had to laugh because you sounded just like Bill Mahler lol.

 

Dizzy Man, the laws prohibiting interracial marriage were mainly in place to prevent black men from dating white women.

 

Okay, but why?

 

why do you have to ask a question like that? because back then the black people had just barely stopped being slaves and people were very racist back then. espiecially in the south.

it's sad but im glad things arent like that anymore. (at least they are improving)

 

It was illegal for the same reasons that now in most places gay marriage is illegal... because a handful of bible thumpers have a moral standing against it... That's all that it is. The same way that colleges didn't enroll women until the 1960s, the same way that the only job a woman or 'person of colour' could get was some menial minimum wage job... just the way it was. A sign of the times...

 

interracial marrage means any two races that are not the same that marry. (They had a problem with Desi Arnez and Lucille Ball's marrage and because of it their show wasn't aired at first.) Interracial marrages weren't really out-lawed in the south. (except for blacks and whites.) White men married Asians, Spanish, Polynesian, Indian, and even East Indian women but they didn't feel that it was right to marry Blacks. (Especially Black men and white women. There were cases of white men and black women that married and though it was frowned on it was tolerated.) I can't explain why people were/are so against the union but I have a theory. (Don't hate me it's just an opinion.) I think it has something to do with the fact that blacks and whites have never had a major falling out with one another. (Don't laugh it's true.) Americans or I should say White americans have had wars with just about everyone and after the fighting is over you find that the millitary men make brides of some of the women from the opposing countries. There is strife and some discontentment at first but then people let their anger go for the most part and the relationships aren't viewed harshly anymore.
Africans that come to this country are treated a lot better than the blacks here because they are seen differently. They weren't in slaved or made to feel lower class by other countries so they don't have the anger that some blacks feel torwards whites.(It's true but you are probally wondering what I'm getting at so I'll make it simple.) The black in this country has been through so much with so little fight that he/she isn't as respected by some as his/her foreign family. What I'm saying is the simple picture: Two guys are in a bar, they drink too much, exchanges bad words, fight, and when they sober up they become friends. Blacks and whites haven't had their war so people from those groups don't feel the need to become close. Seperation is something that both groups are experiencing. You can look at many things but if you really look you'll see that where their is prejudice there is also sepertism. When you get those two groups together than interracail marrages will not be such a big deal. (I don't think it has to be by means of a fight but it is nessisary to get them together)

 

that was well thought out, articulate, logical.......and completely off topic



I give it a B-

 

Ok, then teacher you tell me why it's that way. What do you think is the problem.

 

So you're saying that you'd prefer it to be illegal, then?

 

It was illegal because it was thought by the white men that interracial breeding would mean a decline in bloodlines. To them, black was as bad as having a serious physical deformity...it dulls the "purity" of the white genes. Pure and simple....ignorant racists who thrive on their own power.

 

To be honest, this whole thing about maintaining racial purity is something that is found in most cultures; interestingly, we don't really consider that to be racist, though.