John,

Among the honors of my job is learning the history and stories of the communities I represent, and while the Loving v. Virginia case is one I have long known for its impact and importance across the country, I am proud that this story of bravery, love, perseverance, and ultimately justice took place in Virginia’s 7th District.

Mildred and Richard Loving, a couple from Caroline County, Virginia, were longtime friends who fell in love. Mildred, a woman of color, and Richard, a white man, lived in a Virginia with harsh, strict, Jim Crow segregation laws that prohibited them from marrying. To evade our state’s discriminatory laws, the couple traveled to Washington, D.C. where they were married.

Upon returning to their Caroline County home, police arrested them, claiming they had violated state law. The two were sentenced to a year in jail for cohabiting as man and wife. Their sentences were soon suspended, but on the condition that neither would return to Virginia together for the next 25 years.

Mildred and Richard were separated from their loved ones and banished from their home.

In a true act of bravery, the couple, with the ACLU by their side, challenged their conviction, a case which eventually reached the Supreme Court. Unanimously, the court overturned Mildred and Richard’s conviction and struck down Virginia’s law, holding that it served no legitimate purpose other than targeted, unfair racial discrimination.

Black History Month is a time to uplift and celebrate stories like the Lovings’ – but it is also a time to recommit ourselves – citizens and lawmakers alike – to supporting and pursuing policies of fairness and justice year-round.

Sincerely,
Abigail