On a bright June day in 1967, the world of civil rights was handed a victory that would change the face of marriage forever. The landmark civil rights case of Loving v. Virginia was decided on June 12th, giving people of all races the right to marry whomever they choose, no matter what color.
In celebration of the life changing decision, every year on or around June 12, Loving Day, an educational campaign and a global network of annual celebrations, holds a Flagship Celebration in New York to commemorate the anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling of Loving v. Virginia. During this memorable event, people gather at celebrations all over the U.S. to celebrate, as well as educate people about the incredible story of Mildred and Richard Loving.
Last year, Loving Day sponsored its 6th celebration in New York, which saw the gathering of about 1,100 people. This celebration brought out people for food, drink, and conversation at Solar One, an innovative solar powered building.
From 3 to7 pm, guests mingled, heard and exchanged stories, danced to music, looked over the riverfront, created artwork, or gathered as families in a warm and welcoming environment. The crowd consisted of every race, ethnicity, culture, age, and nationality imaginable from hip 20-somethings to couples with children, empty nesters and grandparents.
Ken Tanabe, founder of Loving Day, charged the crowd with a speech on the progress of the Loving Day movement regarding the state of interracial marriage from the time when Barack Obama’s parents married, his landmark election and inauguration, the option to check off multiple races on the 2000 census, and statistics showing that multiracial people are now the fastest growing U.S. group.
The celebration provided free hamburgers, hotdogs, and veggie burgers all day with free beer offered during the first hour of the celebration. Music was provided by DJ Dhundee and DJ Tyler Askew, two of New York’s leading DJs.
New York wasn’t the only town showing love on Loving Day. Loving Day events were planned in 19 cities and in 3 countries, among them: Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia, Miami, St. Louis, Tokyo, Barcelona, Salem, OR; Austin, TX; Jonesboro, GA; Santa Cruz, Canoga Park and Carlsbad, CA; State College, PA, Fort Collins, CO, and Idaho Falls, ID.
Loving Day seeks to not only fight racial prejudice through educative initiatives, but to also positively impact the greater multicultural community through various nationwide events. Next year’s flagship celebration will be announced at a later date.
To be the first to learn more, stay tuned to this website for up to date Loving Day information or find more information by visiting: www.LovingDay.org.
Video - http://vimeo.com/7064319