Recognition

Alexandria, Virginia

Loving Day Proclamation Alexandria Virginia 2019

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, in June of 1958, Mildred and Richard Loving were married in the District of Columbia, and chose to settle down in their native home state of Virginia, only to be arrested and charged one month later with miscegenation, which was a felony offense in Virginia code at the time; and

WHEREAS, in 1964, Mrs. Loving wrote a letter to Attorney General Robert F. Kenedy, seeking his help. The attorney general, in turn, forwarded her letter to a young Alexandria civil rights lawyer, Bernard “Bernie” Cohen, a recent Georgetown University Law School Graduate. Cohen wanted to take their case all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, and did so with his partner, Philip J. Hirschkop; and

WHEREAS, on June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Loving v. Virginia struck down laws against interracial marriage nationwide. Chief Justice Earl Warren delivered the opinion of the Court, which wrote, “Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State;” and

WHEREAS, today, the tradition and institution of free marriage throughout the U.S. is not infringed upon by any laws, and Americans and citizens of the World observe this victory for all marriages to celebrate and uphold this great decision.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JUSTIN M. WILSON, Mayor of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, and on behalf of the Alexandria City Council, do hereby recognize Wednesday, June 12th, 2019, as:

“LOVING DAY”

In the City of Alexandria and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have here unto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Alexandria to be affixed this 12th Day of June, 2019.

(Signed) MAYOR JUSTIN M. WILSON
On behalf of the City Council of Alexandria, Virginia

ATTEST:
(Signed) Gloria A. Sitton, CMC City Clerk

Details

Recognition Date: June 12, 2019
Recognition Credit: Mayor Justin M. Wilson and the Alexandria City Council
City: Alexandria
State (if in the U.S.): Virginia
Country: United States