Mildred Loving Dies

Richard and Mildred Loving got married and made history in 1958. They were the couple that overturned one of the last vestiges of racism in America. She was black and he was white and interracial marriages were forbidden in their home state of Virginia. They got married anyway and eventually took their case (Loving v. Virginia) to the Supreme Court. In its decision, on June 12, 1967, the court struck down the Virginia law and similar laws in 16 other states.

"Marriage is one of the 'basic civil rights of man,' fundamental to our very existence and survival," wrote Chief Justice Warren. "Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State."

Mildred Loving (nee Jeter), 68 died Friday, May, 2, 2008. Her husband Richard had died in 1975 in a car crash. They had three children Donald, Peggy and Sidney. According to her daughter, Peggy Fortune, Mildred died at home in Milford.

"I want (people) to remember her as being strong and brave yet humble — and believed in love," Fortune told The Associated Press.

For more on the Loving story click here. This June 12 is Loving Day and will be the 41st anniversary of the Supreme Court decision. It is celebrated to honor the legalization of interracial marriage.