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Loving Day celebrated in Grand Rapids

The Loving versus Virginia Supreme Court Case of 1967 ruled in favor of Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple who married in 1958 unaware it was illegal.

The Supreme Court case struck down anti-miscegenation laws nationwide declaring it a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

 

Edye Evans Hyde, director of Ebony Road Players, hosts an annual June 12th celebration honoring Loving Day.

 

“This is very special to a lot of people who don’t get to talk about the issues of being biracial, or multiracial, or being in an interracial relationship, or even being transracially adopted, all of those situations are part of the Loving celebration for peopel to identify.”

 

This year’s events kick off with a fundraiser gala tonight. Dinner will be served and guests will see a performance of the play, “Loving” by Ebony Road Players at the Harris Building.

 

“Loving, as much as historically it was a civil rights issue, we’re still fighting a lot of that, you know, trying to take people’s natural rights away from them. And this is a story that we need to keep in the forefront, so we understand that we need to treat each other equally.”

 

The Wealthy Theatre is hosting two additional performances June 21 and 22 with a panel discussion to follow.

 

Families can also attend a free Family Fusion event at Sigsbee Park June 22 and a free film screening of "The Loving Generation" by Lacey Schwartz for all ages on June 23, also at Wealthy Theatre.

Kayla Sosa is a general news reporter for WGVU Public Radio.