Description: The history of the court battle over the right of interracial marriage which overturned discriminatory state laws and the precedent's value in the case for same-sex marriage.
Brief description: Peter Wallenstein is professor of history at Virginia Tech. He is the author of many books including Cradle of America: A History of Virginia, also from Kansas.
Review Quotes:
"Classic Wallenstein. This superb work by a proven scholar tracks the intertwining histories of race, gender, law, and religion; it masterfully revisions America's past and present through the window of the Loving story, a saga of race and marriage."--Arica L. Coleman, author of That the Blood Stay Pure: African Americans, Native Americans and the Predicament of Race and Identity in Virginia
"Peter Wallenstein has crafted a soaring new account of the crucial Loving v. Virginia case. He places the story deep into a centuries old historical context, untangles the complicated tri-racial issues of the case, and provides the best analysis of the decision ever written. This is a skillful and compelling read."--Jonathan Bryant, Professor of History, Georgia Southern University
"Placing the Loving drama in historical context, Wallenstein masterfully guides the reader through the Lovings' state and federal court battle, examining the attorneys, judges, special interest groups and legal arguments tied to the case. Always sensitive to the historical context, he provides the important backdrop that informs the reader on the larger social and legal changes that affect the Loving saga. Wallenstein assesses the impact of the case on interracial couples in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court's 1967 ruling in favor of the couple. Further, he examines how same-sex couples use the Loving precedent to afford them the right to marry as well. A readable, detailed, and valuable addition to the Loving history."--Charles Robinson, Vice Chancellor, University of Arkansas