Interracial Marriage: Many Deep South Republican Voters Believe Interracial Marriage Should Be Illegal

Despite the fact that the number of interracial marriages in the U.S. reached an all-time high this year, there are many who still believe that mixed-race marriage is unacceptable and should be made illegal, according to a new report.

On Monday, polling firm Public Policy Polling (PPP) revealed that 29 percent of likely GOP voters surveyed in Mississippi believe that interracial marriage should be illegal. Fifty-four percent said intermarriage should remain legal, and the rest responded that they weren't sure. The survey also found that 21 percent of likely GOP voters polled in Alabama believe that interracial marriage should be illegal.

Although the Supreme Court declared anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional more than four decades ago in 1967, Alabama kept a state-level law on the books until 2000. Many mixed-race couples in the Deep South are still struggling to feel safe and be accepted in their communities.

In November 2011, Stella Harville and her fiance, Ticha Chikuni, a native of Zimbabwe, were banned from a Kentucky church for being an interracial couple. The church also ruled that married interracial couples could be prohibited from becoming members. A month later, the congregation overturned their decision, deeming their earlier ruling "discriminatory."

And in May 2011, Debra Dodd, a former church secretary from Tennessee, was fired, she claims, after the all-white church where she worked learned she married a black man. The church has denied that her firing was related to her interracial marriage, but Dodd sued the church in December 2011 for racial discrimination. No updates on the lawsuit have been reported.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that 29% of self-identified Republicans in Mississippi and 21% of self-identified Republicans in Alabama felt intermarriage should be illegal. The post has been updated to correct self-identified Republicans to likely GOP voters. Also, information has been added to clarify that miscegenation laws were invalidated in 1967, but that several had remained codified until as recently as 2000.

Comments

[Carstonio]

08:20 PM on 03/11/2013

Anyone who opposes interracial marriage should feel soul-crushing shame for holding a belief so monstrous. And believing that it should be *illegal*? That's almost an excuse for public shaming.

[bjones012]

09:54 PM on 03/12/2013

I know I am white and I don't care if the white race is breed out of existence. I mean it is okay that other races want to preserve there race, but whites should not, because that is being racists. In fact I am going to divorce my white wife so I can marry a black women. My goal is to breed the white race out if existence by 2030.

[Federico Arevalo]

08:26 PM on 03/04/2013

This ideology is supposed to be a surprise?

[itsawonderfullif]

06:40 PM on 02/04/2013

No matter what happens, here in the U.S. it doesn't make a difference what you believe, or what color you are, racists will alway's be the real minority. I'm so glad we all know that now. Ha Ha Ha : )

[fumetti666]

02:17 PM on 01/13/2013

If you are all for interracial marriage so much, why don't you encourage more white men to marry black women, and more white men to marry Latina women? It seems to be 90 percent white women marrying out of their race, versus 10 percent of white men.

[Shay Wooden]

11:53 PM on 02/16/2013

So I'm guessing you have the stats to back that up, right? Or, was that just a random rant off the top of your head?

[Shay Wooden]

12:00 AM on 02/17/2013

This is referring to your comment below about interracial marriage divorce rate...

[fumetti666]

09:50 AM on 03/05/2013

Please disprove my statement.

[Cherie Espinosa]

08:26 PM on 05/10/2013

It's tough to answer that question because I'm sure everyone has different ideas as to their own preference. As a mixed-raced woman, I grew up seeing what you describe. Majority of "us", in my community anyway, have white mothers. And yes, some with black mothers. I would see some black men that even exclusivly date white woman and I'd wonder to myself if he likes himself. My best answer is our media and what's considered beautiful has alot to do with it. A man may feel empowered by having what he consideres to be a beautiful woman on his arm. As a woman having color myself, 10 years ago, I would get some "pursuits" from white guys, but not many compared to ethnic guys. However in the last few years I will say I have gotten almost more pursuits from white men! The reason is because, times are changing. White men feel like they can ask a women of color out if he wants.Now, all men are starting to see in movies and media that there is beauty in women of color as well, not solely in the features of white woman as we'd seen for many years until maybe 20 years ago. Just my experience, could be wrong.

[fumetti666]

08:43 PM on 05/21/2013

That seems like a fair appraisal.

[fumetti666]

02:12 PM on 01/13/2013

Rarity....why are there so few white men with black women?

[Niya Watson]

03:13 AM on 03/01/2013

Last time I was in AL I saw alo tof white men with black women.

[fumetti666]

09:47 AM on 03/05/2013

They were probably all pop stars.

[fumetti666]

02:08 PM on 01/13/2013

Most interracial marriages fail, and most men don't like it because let's face it, why are there many more black men with white women, then white women with black men?

Never heard a satisfying answer here.

[Niya Watson]

03:12 AM on 03/01/2013

Really? So when blacks got married to native Americans that failed right ? Oh no it did not..

[fumetti666]

09:49 AM on 03/05/2013

Many blacks claim to have native blood, but when they do DNA tests they usually are proven not to have Indian blood.

[KD Walker]

05:00 PM on 04/11/2013

Marriages in general are failing now more than ever...the divorce rate is insane! Let's face it the institution of marriage isn't what it used to be. To answer your question about why they're aren't as many white men with black women as there are white women with black men...I guess you could answer that burning question better than anyone else could...I'm not a white man or a black woman, and therefore couldn't give you an answer to that one... I can't say that I even care.

[Jennifer Mohawk]

04:03 PM on 01/10/2013

Interracial marriage - Lawd have mercy! Next thing you know folks will be marryin outside the fambly -what would Uncle Daddy say??

[fumetti666]

02:10 PM on 01/13/2013

Actually the majority of inbreeding was done by the royal houses of Europe and China. And doing genealogies for black families, they are just as "inbred" as white families. Fail.

[Kinsey6man]

10:21 PM on 01/06/2013

It should be illegal to be racist

[Jennifer Mohawk]

04:05 PM on 01/10/2013

AMEN!

[fumetti666]

02:12 PM on 01/13/2013

Why? Many black people are racist too. Watch the film Crash.

[StephenCJuliano]

03:14 PM on 04/09/2013

How would you enforce such a law? It's a thought crime and sounds like it would lead to witch hunts. Lynching or beating people for any reason is already illegal.

[Jobb Gosamo]

03:34 AM on 11/10/2012

That this thinking still persists in this day and age means that sectarianism is very much alive. How can these people stubbornly cling to a belief that had long lost adherents? This is a Hitlerian doctrine, the preservation of a 'pure' race. It didn't work then, and it will not - ever.

[Beeru Tsunami]

11:59 PM on 05/10/2013

it is absurd that people think interracial mariage should be illegal but why is nobody demanding that saudi arabia or any other none white country be more tolerant and understanding and multicultural?

[LoveFree]

11:30 PM on 10/24/2012

Reasons to not date interracial are starting to become fewer and fewer as knowledge and acceptance of the differences in race and culture spreads. Society is starting to see that people should be able to love and make love to whoever they want to regardless of race. http://www.whywedate.com/

[merryterry]

12:11 PM on 10/22/2012

Why don't they go ahead and secede already.

[Pappa]

09:57 PM on 10/20/2012

People should date and marry whom they choose. It is none of anyone’s business who marries or dates who - Period!

[jewelplays]

10:14 PM on 10/19/2012

Just wanted to finish regarding my daughter who is italian, irish, chinese. She tried to manipulate her face to look caucasian because girls taunted her. She happens to be beautiful, but experienced self-loathing because she was made to feel like a spectacle! Jealousy and Prejudice could be deadly. Her life was threatened, i got the police involved, school personnel, school psychologist and ultimately, this made the school aware there was a prejudice issue happening, the girl who threatened my daughter's life got the professional help she needed, was expelled for a week, and was scared by the police--understanding there are consequences for hatred and prejudice can halt outward behaviour, but lets work on the inward issues!! It starts at home, education, emulation of parent's thoughts and opinion.. Acknowledge everyone, no matter their status. Talk to your children daily!! pay attention to the silence! because that silence could be a SCREAM FOR HELP! My daughter had to accept her beauty, her unique cultural mix, and learn to forgive ignorance. She bloomed in college where she met girls in the same place she was, joined a sorority, where she got to experience acceptance of a sister-hood. and has graduated with a backround in psychology! She wants to continue to work towards becoming a child-psychologist. People are entitled to their own opinion, but denying respect due to a person's race is overall WRONG AND SHOULD NEVER BE TOLERATED at any age! especially towards the young and innocent.

[jewelplays]

09:53 PM on 10/19/2012

Want to proudly say that i'm half italian, half irish and married a chinese man. my children are beautiful, smart and well-adjusted in this crazy world we live! lol, believe me, this path i chose in life has not been without prejudicial "bumps," but a path i'm happy to have taken so far..!! my location is in the NE. and i'd love to say my choice, although personal, has been judged, critiqued, accepted, rejected--you name it, we have gone through it! My children for the most part have gone through the same scrutiny, being of mixed heritage. do i feel guilty for placing them here and having to be questioned "what are you?" ignorance i guess, but if it comes from a "good" place, lack of thought/education/experience behind an approach or inquiry is acceptable, my children are proud to enlighten them. I can look at my children's life now and in the future as being a unique existence, yet always equal as far as entitlement in the world. But honestly i pray often asking that they just be accepted without harm! Sadly prejudice is a deep, sometimes horrific reality--and i hope and pray that my decision to have children was the 'right' choice for me as well as for them. My middle girl was teased throughout her h.s. years, that deeply affected her self-image to the point she tried to manipulate her face to look more "white!" less asian.

[BriannaG]

01:35 AM on 09/28/2012

And this is why I shall never ever live in the deep south. Maybe one day they'll learn to grow up and get past these silly, backwards ways of thinking, but until then: no thank you!