Court Case1967
Loving v. Virginia Decision
The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Loving v. Virginia that laws banning interracial marriage were unconstitutional, striking down Virginia's Racial Integrity Act of 1924. The case was brought by Richard and Mildred Loving, who had been arrested for their interracial marriage.
Why It Matters
This landmark decision affirmed that marriage is a fundamental right protected by the 14th Amendment, advancing the principle of equal protection under the law regardless of race.