24 Beautiful Couples Who Exemplify Black Love

"One of the things that attracted me to Barack was his emotional honesty. Right off the bat he said what he felt. There are no games with him -- he is who he appears to be. I feel fortunate as a woman to have a husband who loves me and shows me in every way. " - Michelle Obama

"After we had known each other for many years, we went out for dinner one night with mutual friends and I saw that he had grown from this lanky kid to this really responsible man. We started courting each other and our friendship turned into romance." - Jada Pinkett Smith

"We were always best friends but we weren't always present... The love was always there, but we couldn't figure out how to be a partner at the same time and at the same rate. And then we could. It was just like, you're my best friend in the world and I love you so intensely, let's figure it out." - Gabrielle Union

"We focused three years on our marriage and found that it brought us an even stronger bond and connection. But like anything great and successful in your life, marriage takes hard work and sacrifice. It has to be something both you and your husband deeply want. The best thing about marriage is the amount of growth you have because you can no longer hide from your fears and insecurities. There's someone right there calling you out on your flaws and building you up when you need the support. If you are with the right person, it brings out the best version of you." - Beyoncé

"Keep everybody out your business, that's how you do it. And I mean everybody. It ain't about having a relationship outside of the house. It's about having a relationship within each other. When something go down, don't be calling your sister or your mother; I'm not gonna be calling my brother or uncles. We're gonna work it out." - Ice Cube

"Marriage takes patience.. (Marriage is our best last chance to grow up :)" - Rev. Run

"She kicks my ass in basketball! Also, Maya translates so much for me -- not just words, but culturally. When my sisters call with a problem, she takes the phone. I can't give advice -- unless it's about cooking. Before Maya, my primary relationship was with food. Luckily, she loves to eat!" - Marcus Samuelsson

"Do whatever your wife tells you. Yes, dear. And breathe." - Denzel Washington

"I think it's a very healthy thing for us to have other friends. It's also important for us to have independence, and give each other space. Mel and I are not together all the time; we like to give each other space. I think that's what keeps us going... he's on the road working, and I'm working." - LaLa Anthony

"...make time for one another. Don't forget about those date nights. Put on a sexy dress and some sexy high heels and have a great night and enjoy each other. Also, incorporate your husband. Get him involved and let him know how important he is with taking care of your joy." - Tia Mowry

Omar Epps told People magazine, he feels sexiest when, "We're going out and my wife gives me that look like, "you're going to get (some) when we get home."

"Anytime you're with somebody, you become a reflection of that person. I believe the first five years of our relationship was me grooming her, getting her tough and getting her ready for all of this and how to deal with it. The last was just her being a strong Black woman who has her man's back." - Snoop Dogg

"[Being married] is so fly. There's something great about feeling at peace and ease with your partner and knowing you understand each other. I really enjoy that friendship." - Alicia Keys

"[He is] the love of my life. The love, the lover, the man, the partner, the mate. I cannot say that I know of another man, really. I do not know of another man on this planet who could've lived this life with such dignity, such grace and humility. And still hold his own." - Oprah

"My personal life is personal, and I keep my private life private, but she and I... obviously, we have similarities like anybody else, and we share a strong love and passion for God, which is necessary for both of us." - Trai Byers

"Especially for men it's very important that they're present. Present doesn't just mean being physically present. It also means taking the other person in and responding to their needs and their wishes. That's very important for a woman." - Boris Kodjoe

"When I got married, I was all in love, but then came life intruding in, and sometimes it's difficult... I would look at my husband and ask, 'did we do it too quickly?'... But my husband was strong in his resolve. He kept reminding me that people go through this, and that we were going to be OK." - Angela Bassett

"We're together a lot because I think you make time for the things that are important and our marriage is important to us. So we make time, all the time... Every day is a new day, so it never stops. You never stop learning each other. Sometimes the best moments are just the quiet ones." - Monica

"He was a single father for 16, 17 years; he raised his children by himself, as well as pursuing a career in acting. So he has character. He's a good man. And he endeared himself to me because he was different from anyone else I dated, because he was extraordinarily emotionally available and kind and generous." - Viola Davis

"We've been married for almost seventeen years. It's very happy. We've had our ups, our downs; we've had lots of things happen in our life we didn't expect... One of the biggest things is that we're really fortunate because Rodney and I are really good partners. When one is up and the other one is not, we support each other." - Holly Robinson Peete

"We talk about everything. It is not perfect. As anybody who has been in a long relationship knows, they’re not perfect. Everybody has their ups and downs. We just said, it’s ride or die -- not only for our children, but also for us." - Flex Alexander

"... greatness is when you’re the husband and father you’re supposed to be. When everyone surrounding you looks up to you, depends on you, and you come through for them. That’s greatness. Do you think Dr. Martin Luther King was anything without Coretta? You take Michelle out of Barack Obama’s equation, and he is a whole other dude out there.” - Steve Harvey

"I just think that when we committed to each other, we committed for the long haul, as well. We've certainly seen some ups and downs in our lives, separately and together. It's just important that you have an understanding and that you communicate, and you ride with each other." - Tamia

“You have to laugh with one another." - Tisha Campbell-Martin