Ebony Road Players, a Grand Rapids-based theatre company which specializes in sharing Black and underrepresented stories, is teaming up West Michigan organizations for a Loving Day celebration.
Loving Day, held on June 12, marks the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which fully legalized interracial marriage in the United States. The case is named after Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple who were at the center of the case, fighting to strike down the criminality of their marriage.
Ebony Road Players has partnered with Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Rapids Children’s Museum on Loving Day events for both adults and kids this month.
“More than 50 years after Loving v. Virginia, we continue to fight prejudice and build community through our multiracial relationships and families,” said Edye Evans Hyde, founder and executive director of Ebony Road Players. “Our West Michigan Loving Day Celebration honors the path forged by those before us and reminds us there is still work to do for our future generations.
Ebony Road Players will perform the play “Alabama Story” at GRPM June 8th – 11th. The piece by Kenneth Jones is set during the early days of the Civil Rights movement and was inspired by true events. Director Todd Lewis told WGVU the play will touch on topics like racism and book banning. Tickets to the play are $30.
“I think one of the best ways to get people talking about these subjects is to do it though entertainment, and have it something that’s enjoyable to watch, rather than someone lecturing about it, and I think this play does all of those things so very well,” Lewis said.
On June 10th the Ebony Road players will host Faces of Family: Sowing Seeds of Love, a free, outdoor festival. It will be held right outside of the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum. The festival will include the following:
- Planting seeds
- Face painting with Meaghan Gietzen
- Live Mural by Monk Mattheaus
- Button making sponsored by Little Space Studio
- Strike a Pose with CIRQUE BOUCLÉ
- Library card sign-ups with the Kent District Library and Grand Rapids Public Library
- Community resources and vendors
More information on Ebony Road Players Loving Day events can be found here.
