The Case for Loving the Fight for Interracial Marriage

Summary

The Case for Loving is a nonfiction children’s book that tells the true story of Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple from Virginia who could not be married legally as a result of anti-miscegenation. They were put in jail for living together while married and had to move to Washington D.C. with their family. They decided to fight these laws and helped dismantled anti-miscegenation laws in the United States after bringing their case to the Supreme Court.

Theme(s):

Racism, Bravery, Overcoming Adversity, and Family

Personal Response

I am a fan of non-fiction historical picture books such as The Case For Loving. I really enjoyed how simplistic the storytelling is of such a sad reality many people lived in. It made the story more digestible for younger readers. The book felt like a walkthrough of the real lives of Richard and Mildred Loving. I made a connection to Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh. Both stories discuss important court cases through the people directly affected by them. Overall I loved this story!

Teaching Ideas

I thought The Case for Loving would be a great read-aloud that teaches children about acceptance, diversity, and the fight for civil rights. I can see myself bringing this book for a special read-aloud during Black History Month. First, I would introduce the concept of anti-miscegenation laws as well as segregation. While I’m reading I will ask students discussion questions related to their emotions about the book. Students would then contribute a journal entry related to their thoughts.

BOOK.tique