Where’s the Interracial Love?

Where’s the Interracial Love?
By Charles White

Since 2000, interracial marriage has been legal in all 50 states. While interracial dating has been on the rise since then, interracial marriage hasn’t become as vogue across the country. Where are more of the interracial unions hiding? I contend that the old culture and traditions still abound in today’s society.

Historical facts show how stubborn and fearful America was in allowing interracial relationships, even after slavery was abolished. Interracial unions were forbidden in most states and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of these laws in 1883. Amazingly, it took 52 years for the country to completely legalize interracial partnerships. Maybe part of the reason why we haven’t seen a significant rise in these marriages is that it took years between each state to finally legalize it.

Since its legalization, statistics show that interracial coupling has been on the rise. The number of interracial marriages has risen: 310,000 in 1970, 651,000 in 1980, and 1,161,000 in 1992, according to the 1993 U.S. Census. Interethnic marriages rose from 0.7% of all marriages in 1970, to 1.3% in 1980, and 2.2% in 1992. In addition, recent studies report that 57% of teenagers have dated someone outside their race. With the fact that people took the time to legalize it and interracial dating is becoming more acceptable, why aren’t interracial marriages more popular today? Is it really still taboo?

Opponents of interethnic marriage argue those who marry outside their race betray their families and deny their cultures. African-Americans believe that this type of marriage desecrates the black community foundation. Whites contend it because the rise in interracial births, combined with increased immigration, will supposedly make them a minority by the middle of the twenty-first century. This “browning of America” will lead to the annihilation of European-American culture.

These viewpoints are shallow. It’s sad to think that two people of different ethnicities would marry to anger their families and not out of pure love. Furthermore, most American blacks are mixed anyway, so our cultural foundation is of more than one race. The white opponents view exposes the ridiculous fear that the pure European-American race will end because of mixed babies.

Proponents of interethnic relationships feel interracial romance is a step toward eliminating racial hatred. The increasing births of interracial children will lead to a society where race will not matter because everyone will blend into one race: the human race. More importantly, the color of people’s skin shouldn’t matter when it comes to love.

I’m a racially mixed American, with African-America, Native American, and Caucasian in my blood. I’m proud of and I embrace my heritage. In addition, I’m dating an Italian woman. We’re dating because we enjoy each other’s company; not to upset others. We see the fun we have together; not our skin colors. Interracial relationships are a wonderful thing and interracial marriage should express that sentiment. People need to stand up and break down the walls of tradition and show the world that interracial love is alive and well.