By LISA KEEN, Washington Blade The woman who started a ball rolling toward knocking down laws banning interracial marriage and who late in life also spoke out against bans on gay marriage has died.
Mildred Loving died Friday, May 2, in Milford, Va. She was 68. The cause of death was not available, but gay activist Mitchell Gold, who met with her a year ago about speaking out against anti-gay marriage laws, said Loving was already quite frail with arthritis and cancer at that time.
Gold, founder of Faith in America, an organization to fight anti-gay religious bigotry, said he and two colleagues visited Loving at her rural Virginia home in early May 2007. They were hoping to persuade her to take part in an event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia decision that struck down anti-miscegenation laws. Gold said they talked about the Loving case and “what’s happening to gay people.”
“We asked if she would come to Washington and be a significant part of the celebration,” said Gold. He recalled she said she would if she could, “but it was clear her health was failing … and we didn’t know whether she could physically make it.” So, instead, said Gold, Loving prepared a statement that was read at the celebration.
In that statement, Loving said, “I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others.”...read more
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