In 2016, Jeff Nichols’ Loving, staring Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton, brought the quiet, intimate story of Richard and Mildred Loving to the big screen – but just how closely does the film reflect the real case that changed American history? In this episode, we compare Loving (2016) to the true events of Loving v. Virginia, the landmark 1967 Supreme Court decision that struck down laws banning interracial marriage. We explore who Richard and Mildred Loving were, what life was like for them in 1950s Virginia, and how their private desire to live as a married couple turned into a constitutional battle. From the film’s restrained storytelling and emotional tone to the legal realities, timelines, and historical context left on the margin, we break down what the movie gets right, what it simplifies, and why the real story remains just as powerful, if not more so, than its Hollywood portrayal. 

Primary Sources:

• Loving v. Virginia, 388 US 1 (1967)
• The Loving Story (2012)
• Brimner, Larry. Finding a Way Home: Mildred and Richard Loving and the Fight for Marriage Equality. Calkins Creek (2020).

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