[Documentary] Richard and Mildread Loving Story by Grey Villet

“The Crime of Being Married”

Back in 1960s, the interraicial marriage in Virginia including other 15 states in USA was illegal.
LIFE Magazine photographer Grey Villet (born in South Africa, 1927-2000) worked on this issue about 50 years ago.

NBC Nightly News | February 14, 2012

"Defying a law against mixed race marriage"

'The documentary “The Loving Story” chronicles the lives of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple exiled from Virginia 54 years ago.'  NBC's reports by Rehema Ellis
[quoted from: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/46389861#46389861]

In 1965, Grey Villet went to Virginia to photograph an interracial marriage family 'the Lovings' on his assignment for LIFE magazine. Villet focused on their daily life rather than legal battle in the supreme court in this documentary work.

Richard Loving, a white man, and his wife Mildred Loving, an African American and Native American descent. They legally married in 1958 in Washington DC, but it was illegal in Virginia back then.

After their legal battle in the US supreme court, the court unanimously declared Vigina's law on banning interracial marriage unconstitutional and finally terminated all race-based marriage bans in the US from 1967.

A filmmaker Nancy Buirski's new HBO documentary The Loving Story inspired by Grey Villet's images of the interracial marriage couple made its debut in February 14, 2012.

Estate of Grey Villet 
Richard and Mildred Loving at Sumerduck Dragway, Sumerduck, Virginia, April 1965 | ©Grey Villet
[source: http://life.time.com/history/richard-and-mildred-loving-grey-villet-photos-1966/?iid=lb-gal-viewagn#9 ]

To see more of his works, visit http://www.greyvillet.com/

 

[1] 'The Heart of the Matter: Love' By Barbara Villet - New York Times LENS Blog, January 18, 2012

[2] The Loving Story: Photographs by Grey Villet - Past Exhibition from International Center of Photography, JANUARY 20–MAY 6, 2012