"[crickets chirping]" "I'm pregnant." "Good." "That's real good." "[giggling]" "[engine roaring]" "¶ Hey, hey, now, now, baby ¶" "¶ Let's just go all night long ¶ [engines revving]" "¶ Well, on, on, on, on, darlin' ¶" "¶ I just want you to go on more ¶" "¶ There won't be no tutti-frutti, no lollipop ¶" "¶ Come on, baby, just rock, rock, rock ¶ [engines revving] [people shouting]" "¶ We gonna rock all night ¶ [crowd cheering]" "There it goes." "Whoo!" "Whoo!" "[crowd cheering] Whoo!" "Whoo!" "[no audible dialogue]" "Yes, timing's still off 'bout two degrees." "Looked fine to me." "What you think?" "I think we won." "¶ Ooh!" "My head ¶" "That's fine right there." "Now, come on." "Come on now." "Now that's a fast car you fellas got." "And it's mighty fine of you to let us boys race with y'all." "Whoo!" "[chattering]" "¶¶ [upbeat strings]" "[laughter]" "[man] Come on now!" "Come on." "Come on." "Come on." "Get ready to dance with ol' Virgil." "Come on." "[laughter]" "Damn Richard, slow down." "[Richard] All right now." "Where you going?" "[sighs]" "What you think?" "Like it?" "Like what?" "This spot, right here." "This field?" "Yeah." "This field not a half a mile from my house I've been knowing all my life?" "[chuckles] Yeah, yeah." "Yes, I like it." "I'm gonna put the kitchen right back here." "Richard, stop this." "I don't know what you're saying." "I bought it." "This whole acre." "I'm gonna build you a house." "Right here." "Our house." "Mildred?" "Yes?" "Would you marry me?" "Come." "He said he'd bought the whole acre for me." "[chuckles]" "And then he asked me to marry him." "No he didn't!" "Yes." "Right out in the field?" "Mm-hmm." "Oh, Lord that man might be crazy." "Well, when you gonna do it?" "He didn't say." "Soon, though." "Before the baby comes." "He gonna take my sister from me?" "No." "We'll be right down the road." "[both laughing]" "[Lola] Everything looks fine." "Thank you, Miss Lola." "We'll see you soon." "We'll be here." "Hey now." "Hey, Mama." "They out back." "[radio playing]" "How we doing?" "Mmm." "Get that board and get up under there." "See if you can't get the collector loose." "So I'm gonna take Mildred up to D.C. to get married." "So, you sure about that?" "Yeah." "And you need a witness?" "No." "I'm gonna ask her Dad to come up there with us." "Rich is gonna take Mildred up to D.C. to get married." "String bean?" "Don't make no damn sense." "You'd be fine living in the house." "No wife, just fine." "You don't need no wife." "Why she gonna be your girl?" "Why you wanna get married?" "Don't make no sense now." "You think they'll see us today?" "Yeah, I called up there." "Seem like a long drive to me." "Thanks for coming, Jake." "Daddy, what's the city like?" "It's fine." "[man] Marriage is an institution of the highest importance." "And it's made honorable by faithful couples who are committed to each other for life." "Do you have the ring?" "By the power vested in me by the District of Columbia," "I now pronounce you husband and wife." "I may not forgive him." "Come on now." "You lucky if I forgive you." "No reason to go all the way up there for this and not take us." "We took Daddy." "Like that means a thing." "Richard said there would be less red tape in Washington." "That's all." "You can stop looking at it String Bean, you know it's purdy." "¶ For that's what love will do ¶" "¶ Darling, I'm ¶ ¶ I'm so surprised ¶" "¶ Oh, when I first realized ¶" "¶ That you were fooling me ¶ I'm turning in." "What you think 'bout a bedroom in the back?" "I'll like it however you make it." "¶ Darling, they say that our love won't grow ¶" "¶ But I just wanna tell them ¶" "I'll be in there soon." "Mm-hmm." "¶ For as long ¶" "¶ As you love me ¶" "¶ Our love will... ¶" "¶¶ [upbeat blues]" "¶ Is everything all right, babe ¶" "¶ Is everything all root ¶" "¶ Is everything all right, babe ¶" "¶ Is everything all root ¶" "¶ Is everything all right ¶" "¶ Oh, rooty-toot ¶" "¶ Then let the fun begin ¶" "¶ Hope it'll never end ¶" "¶ Let the fun begin ¶" "¶ And hope it'll never end ¶" "How about something like this?" "¶ I wanna love you, love you, baby ¶" "¶ All over again ¶" "¶ Is everything, is everything, is everything ¶" "¶ Is everything, is everything all right ¶" "¶ All right, baby ¶" "¶ All right tonight ¶ [whoops]" "Hey, Mama." "Sheriff's Deputy came by looking for you." "What did he want?" "Wanted to find you." "Did you tell him where I was?" "I didn't have nothing to tell him." "[chattering]" "Applesauce good." "What you like, Rich?" "Ford or Chevy?" "Don't make much difference." "But which one faster?" "That depend on who built it." "That's what I said." "How much money you win with that car?" "Boy, why you asking him 'bout his money?" "He don't have to answer me." "How many races you won, Rich?" "A lot." "[laughter]" "You need my hand, you need my hand too?" "Count on this one." "Didn't think he was gonna stop." "I wanna know, you know?" "[crickets chirping]" "In here!" "What you doing in that bed boy?" "Richard!" "What're you doing in bed with that woman?" "I'm his wife." "That's no good here." "Get your pants on, boy." "You get out of that bed." "Get out of that bed!" "Come on." "All right." "She goes in there." "It's all right." "Come on." "It's okay." "Richard Loving?" "Yeah." "You made bail." "Bean." "Bean?" "Richard?" "Go on down." "What about her?" "Just you." "Wait, wait, wait!" "Don't pull me again." "Come on now." "That's not right." "Bean." "Richard?" "It ain't right!" "Come on." "It ain't right!" "Sign at the bottom." "What about my wife?" "You'll have to talk to the Judge about that on Monday." "Monday?" "[labored breathing]" "All right just rest." "Rest, rest." "Richard." "Yeah?" "Bring me that fresh water and take this one out." "Bear down." "Bear down." "[grunting]" "Here Mom." "Leave that down." "[Lola] Wait, wait." "What you gonna do?" "How did they know to come get us?" "Somebody talked." "[man] Hey!" "[banging]" "Hey!" "We told you to come back on Monday and talk to the Judge." "I ain't gonna let her stay there 'til Monday." "It not right." "Talk to the Judge." "You're not allowed to bail her out." "I'll get a lawyer." "You can." "[telephone ringing]" "Hey boy." "Come on." "Sit down." "You back here trying to bail her out?" "You know they aren't gonna let her out to you?" "You best send some of her people up here to get her, because they won't let her out to you." "But sh-she pregnant." "Shut your mouth about that." "I'll throw your ass back in there for that." "You know better." "It's just not..." "What's that?" "You do know better don't you?" "Nah, maybe you don't." "[scoffs]" "Your daddy worked for a nigger didn't he?" "Running timber?" "I'm sorry for you." "Now I really am." "All you over there in Central Point don't know up from down." "All mixed up." "Part Cherokee," "Rappahannock, part niggra, part white." "Blood don't know what it wants to be." "You just got born in the wrong place, is all." "I see you got to thinking it was fine." "You might think people around here wouldn't care." "[scoffs]" "Hell maybe they wouldn't if your dumb country ass hadn't gone off and married her, but not me." "You hear me?" "That's God's law." "He made a sparrow a sparrow and a robin a robin." "They're different for a reason." "No." "No." "You go on now." "Get on home." "Send some of her people up here on Monday to get her." "I see you try and bail her out again I'll arrest you." "[door opens] [footsteps approaching]" "I should put you in with her tonight." "Your daddy posted your bail." "[typewriter clicking]" "It's all right, babe." "[crying]" "It's all right." "Where's Richard?" "He moved his things out." "Said they'd arrest y'all again, if they catch him here with you." "Ya'll come on." "Come on here." "Come on." "[door opens]" "[Richard, softly] Bean." "It's okay." "[sniffles]" "Now I gotcha." "[kissing]" "You okay?" "They hurt ya?" "No." "I'm just scared." "They said I couldn't see you." "I know." "What we gonna do?" "I got a lawyer." "And they say he's the best in the county." "He gonna get it all straightened out." "I don't know." "It's fine." "All we gotta do is just keep to ourselves for a while." "And this will blow over." "Yeah?" "I better go." "Better go." "[Beazely] We'll walk over there in a minute," "But I met with the Judge this morning, and I worked out a deal I think is pretty fair." "Judge Bazile is a friend." "But he is not a fan of your particular situation." "If you all plead guilty the Judge is willing to suspend any prison time." "Well... we'll do it." "Now, in exchange for suspending the jail time, you and your wife, unless you decide to dissolve the marriage, will be forced to leave the state." "Leave the state?" "What does that mean?" "It's exactly what it sounds like." "You two are not allowed to be in the state at the same time, and certainly, aren't allowed to be here together." "For how long?" "How long will that last?" "Twenty five years." "That can't be right." "Look, you got a year in state penitentiary, which I remind you, could have been up to five years at the maximum, you got a year in prison on one hand, and leaving the state on the other." "That's an easy choice." "Try not to talk unless he directly asks you a question, which he won't." "Just like we talked about, he'll ask what you plead, you say guilty, and this will be over quick enough." "[court reporter]... the said Richard Perry Loving, being a white person, and the said Mildred Dolores Jeter, being a colored person, did unlawfully and feloniously, go out of the state of Virginia," "for the purpose of being married in the District of Columbia, on June 2nd, 1958, and afterwards returned to, and resided in the County of Caroline," "State of Virginia, cohabitating as man and wife, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth." "How do you plead?" "Guilty." "Guilty." "The court does accept the plea of guilty, and fixed the punishment of both accused at one year in jail." "The court does suspend said sentence for the period of 25 years, upon the provision that both the accused leave Caroline County and the State of Virginia at once." "And do not return together at the same time to said county and state for a period of 25 years." "Do either of you have anything to say?" "No, sir." "No, sir." "You are released from custody." "Settle your court costs with court." "Thank you, Your Honor." "[man] It's 36 dollars and 29 cents apiece." "[Mildred] That's a number in Washington for Nancy's brother Alex." "His wife Laura's there most days." "If you need to get us, just call." "Okay." "Daddy?" "You okay?" "You knew what you was doing taking her up there!" "You had no right for that!" "Bean?" "[car door closes] [engine starts]" "[people chattering]" "[horn honking]" "How you all doing?" "We're fine." "Thank you for taking us." "We've got plenty of room." "You remember Richard?" "Yes." "Thank you." "No." "Glad to have you." "Come on in." "Let me show you the house." "[tires screech softly] [chattering]" "[train horn blares, distant] [woman shouting, distant]" "[shouting continues] [siren wailing, distant]" "[chattering]" "Okay." "I'll be back by dinner." "[Mildred grunts]" "[man on TV] If the vehicle goes aloft at too steep an angle, its velocity is cut by 800 feet a second." "Working more directly against gravity than planned." "Reaching over 23,000 miles an hour, it carries to nearly 80,000 miles." "30 times as far as ever before." "Another moon shot is..." "What can I do?" "Nothing." "Bean." "It's just..." "I always thought your mother would be the one to deliver the baby." "Okay." "Okay." "Hey, Mama." "Put some wood in the stove." "Thank you for doing this." "Oh, yeah." "All right, String Bean, it's on you now." "[chuckles] [chuckling]" "Yes, it is." "Drink this." "[rooster crowing]" "[Garnet] Rich!" "Rich!" "Her water broke." "[screaming]" "Okay." "Take a breath." "Take a breath." "Breathe." "Okay." "Bear down." "Bear down hard." "Thank you, Mama." "You never should have married that girl." "Well, I thought you liked her." "I like a lot of people." "That doesn't mean you should have gone and done what you did." "You knew better." "[Garnet] Sidney." "Hi, Sidney." "Sidney." "Call the lawyer." "Tell that woman to come out here." "She ain't here." "She left." "Boy, I will split your head into white meat, and go arrest every soul in that house." "I won't ask you again." "No." "You're in luck." "The judge is in today." "You'll go straight there." "For violation of your parole, you're ordered to post a $200 bond, and appear before this court..." "In the next... [door swings open]" "Yes, Frank?" "We ask for leniency." "I incorrectly told the Lovings it was fine for them to return home for the birth of their child." "It, uh..." "It was my mistake." "Your Honor, I think..." "Fine." "Thank you." "Don't come back here again." "You do and you go to prison." "This doesn't happen a second time." "¶ In the beginning ¶ [baby screaming]" "¶ You really loved me ¶" "¶ I was too blind ¶" "¶ I couldn't see ¶" "¶ But now you've left me ¶" "¶ Oh, how I cry ¶" "¶ You don't miss your water ¶" "¶ Till your well runs dry ¶" "¶ You don't miss your water ¶" "¶ Till your well runs dry ¶ [phone ringing]" "Sidney, Donald, come on down!" "[child shouts]" "Hey!" "Okay." "Okay." "Come on in." "You go." "[Garnet] Hi, pretty girl." "Your cousin Gerald and Davis are fine, and Sue and Terry send their love." "They just had a little girl too." "Really?" "Their second." "Hmm." "Sidney, don't jump in the house!" "They're big." "Yes." "I hate it for them." "It's like they're caged." "Not even any grass for them to run in." "And Daddy?" "He's fine." "Stays up in that chair more than in the field." "I told Mama, if he doesn't start getting some work done," "Mr. Banks liable to find someone else for it." "Clay said he had this... [inaudible dialogue]" "[engine starts, horn honks]" "Good." "What are you doing?" "Where is that piece?" "How was your sister?" "I need one piece." "She's fine." "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve." "I almost has it." "Yeah?" "You wanna show me?" "[man on TV] The long-awaited march for jobs and freedom on Washington, D.C. has started and it is about half of the 100,000 estimated crowd headed off down" "Constitution Avenue, headed toward the Lincoln Memorial, which is where we are seated now." "It is here that things have climaxed..." "[thudding]" "You boys stop that wrestling." "Come and help Miss Laura with her groceries." "... coming in around this plaza surrounding Lincoln Memorial." "They say over 100,000 people there." "... who is standing by along the parade route at 17th and Constitution." "Can you imagine?" "Might as well be halfway around the world." "What?" "[TV continues]" "Nothing." "However, some 15 minutes ago, the march..." "You know what you need to do?" "What?" "You need to write Bobby Kennedy." "[scoffs] I'm serious." "I mean, that's what they up there for." "All this talk of civil rights." "You need to get you some civil rights." "... engaged in demonstrations before." "[crowd chanting]" "In the background, you can hear some of the young people shouting." "[crowd chanting] Freedom now!" "Freedom now!" "Freedom now!" "[man] "Freedom..." "Freedom now."" "[crowd] Freedom now!" "Freedom now!" "Freedom now... [dishes clattering]" "[faucet running]" "Mm." "They in bed?" "Mm-hmm." "I'm sorry I missed 'em." "They ask for me?" "Peggy did, but she went down fine." "Will you get Saturday off?" "I hope so." "Sidney, get up and spread those sheets for me." "My turn, my turn, my turn!" "My turn!" "[phone ringing]" "Don, make sure your sister gets a turn." "My turn, my turn, my turn." "Byrd residence." "[man] Hello." "I'm calling to speak to Mildred Loving." "This is she." "Hello, Mrs. Loving." "My name is Bernard Cohen." "I'm the lawyer that was referred to you by the ACLU." "Are you familiar?" "I'm sorry." "No." "You wrote a letter to Attorney General Kennedy." "Is that right?" "Yes." "He was not able to help you with your particular case and sent your letter to the American Civil Liberties Union." "The ACLU contacted me." "I'm a lawyer in Virginia, and we would like to help with your case." "[loud chatter] I see." "Mama!" "Mama!" "Don, baby, hush." "Would it be possible for you and your husband to meet with me?" "[chattering]" "I would have to check with my husband." "Okay." "I'm based in Alexandria, but I have an office in D.C., if that is a concern." "Well, as I said in my letter, we really can't afford a lawyer." "No, ma'am." "The ACLU will take care of any fees." "Mrs. Loving, are you there?" "Yes, we'll see you." "Wonderful." "I'll have my secretary call you back to set up a time." "Nice speaking with you, Mrs. Loving." "[click, disconnect tone]" "Come here, baby." "I got a call from a lawyer today." "A lawyer?" "Mm-hmm." "From the American Civil Liberties Union." "Robert Kennedy told 'em to call us." "Go help your sister brush her teeth." "They wanna help with our case." "Well, we can't afford a lawyer." "He said they wouldn't charge us." "We're going to go to see him on Thursday." "His name is Cohen." "[knocking on door] [door opens]" "Hello." "I'm Bernard Cohen." "I'm in from Richmond." "I talked to Jim about using his office for a few hours." "Yes, Mr. Cohen." "Do you know it?" "Down the hall?" "Yes." "My clients are Mr. and Mrs. Loving." "Could you send them down when they arrive?" "Certainly." "[knocking on door]" "Come in." "[door opens]" "Mrs. Loving." "Hello." "Please, have a seat." "Bernard Cohen." "It's a pleasure." "Thank you for coming in today." "So, as we discussed on the phone, the ACLU would like to take on your case." "I was actually a charter member of the ACLU in Virginia, which is why they assigned me to you." "The bottom line is, we wanna get you all some relief." "That's very generous." "Thank you." "Now, the first step is to appeal the sentence in Caroline County." "That will be our fastest route to federal court." "The problem..." "Federal court?" "Yes, the goal is to try to get the federal court to hear the case..." "Excuse me." "I don't understand." "Federal court?" "I see it as the best route to..." "Can't you just go and speak to Judge Bazile?" "We ain't hurting anybody." "I don't think that..." "Well, just talk to him." "Just talk to him." "You should tell him if..." "if he let us back in the state, [sighs] well, we won't bother anybody." "Look, I do not think that this case will be resolved in Judge Bazile's court, or probably any other court in the state of Virginia." "I believe this is a court battle that could go all the way to the Supreme Court." "We're listening." "Our problem is that in order to appeal the judgment of conviction, we would have needed to do so within 60 days." "Now, given that it's been five years since that conviction, we have to find a way to get it back into the courts." "Are you following?" "[both] Mm-hmm." "Now, I've given this some thought, and I have a somewhat unorthodox idea on how to do this." "My suggestion would be for the two of you to return to Caroline County, get rearrested, and then we will have an avenue for our appeal." "You want us to get arrested again?" "Yes." "It's an idea." "I, of course, will be there to bail you out." "We aren't gonna do that." "Right." "[stammers]" "I can see how that was a mistake." "I understand." "Look, I need to do some more thinking on this first issue, but bottom line is, we are gonna get you all some help." "We appreciate you." "We really do." "[sighs]" "Yeah." "[door closes]" "[sighs]" "[key clacking in ignition] [sighs]" "If it gets us home, we'll take their help." "Well, you get what you pay for." "[engine starts]" "[horn honks] [laughs]" "Get off the street!" "[dogs barking] [men chattering]" "Hey, Lee, give him a hand!" "[children shouting]" "[men continue chattering] [man] Better control that concrete!" "[man shouting] [children shouting] I got it!" "[man] Hey!" "[grunts]" "Look out!" "[brakes screeching] Donald!" "[panting]" "Mama!" "Mama!" "[sighs]" "Mildred!" "[Mildred] Up here." "What's going on?" "Donald got hit by a car today." "What?" "He's fine." "Just scraped and bruised, is all." "Hey, you okay?" "We're moving back to the country." "I don't care what they do to us." "I won't raise my family here." "[crying]" "All right." "Y'all get loaded up now." "Come on." "Thank you, Alex." "[Sidney] Peggy, Don..." "[car door closes]" "Thank you, Ms. Laura." "Mm." "You just go on." "[car door opens]" "I'll see you tonight." "Y'all be good." "[Peggy] Okay, Daddy." "Bye." "[engine starts]" "[car approaching]" "[car door opens]" "[chattering]" "[mutters]" "[knocking on door]" "Daddy!" "[mutters]" "[child laughs] [chattering]" "My cousin has a house he might rent out." "But I thought Jim's brother said it was fine here." "I don't trust 'em." "And too many people." "Where is it?" "King and Queen County." "Just a farmhouse up there." "I figure it gets you out the county but keeps you close." "You'd be on your own out there." "It don't have no phone or nothing." "But no one's gonna find you unless they know where to look." "I can get word to you when you need it." "How much you think he'd want for it?" "Ah, he'll be fair." "[sighs]" "[horn honks]" "[children chattering]" "[laughing]" "[Donald] Peggy!" "[yelling]" "Hey." "I'll try to get home before dark." "Mm-hmm." "Mm?" "We'll be fine." ""We haven't heard anything from you for so long we had given up hope."" "[exhales]" "Martha, call Chet Antieau's office at Georgetown Law and try to set a meeting." "Yes, Mr. Cohen." "[sighs] [knocking on door] [man] Come in." "I'd never seen anything like it, you know?" "Excuse me." "No matter how many times I get down South, there's always something that surprises me." "Oh, yes." "Please bring him back." "This is good timing." "I want you to meet a former student of mine." "He called about a case you may find interesting." "Uh, yeah." "Sure." "What's it about?" "Well, we only spoke briefly on the phone." "But in essence..." "[door opens]" "Ah." "Hello, Professor." "Thanks for seeing me." "My pleasure." "You've come at a good time, Bernie." "This is Phil Hirschkop." "He's a brilliant civil rights lawyer." "Nice to meet you." "So, what's the problem?" "Well, I'm a bit stumped." "The ACLU referred me to this case concerning an interracial couple that was married in D.C." "They were arrested for living together in Virginia, and the judge suspended their sentence under order that they leave the state for 25 years." "I filed a motion to vacate the judgment with Judge Bazile, the original trial judge in Caroline County, but he's stonewalling me." "Of course, the ACLU sees this..." "and I agree... as a potential contender to repeal the anti-miscegenation laws nationwide." "I just need to get the ball rolling, as it were." "It's a very delicate situation, because by appealing, you open up the possibility of sending them both to prison." "I think regardless, file the 1983 motion explaining your complaint." "It'll force Bazile's hand and get you in front of a federal three-judge panel." "All right, look, I got to catch a plane to New York tonight, but I'll work up a draft, and I'll find you on Monday?" "Great." "That's just great." "Thank you." "Yeah." "And, Bernie, if you don't mind me asking, how much experience do you have with the constitutional law?" "Some." "Very little." "[clears throat] [chuckles] You realize this case could alter the Constitution of the United States?" "I do." "[chuckles]" "I'll call you on Monday." "[Sidney] One, two, three!" "I'm a good dog!" "[laughs]" "[Mildred] I can never get mine to rise." "It's not you." "It's the humidity." "Just thick." "Come look, Meme." "Come look." "Peggy." "She's fine." "What you want from your Meme?" "Lilly won't share her tea." "Ooh." "She must be upset." "Well, she wants to sit with us out here." "[car approaching]" "Mama, get Peggy inside!" "Bean!" "[panting]" "Hey." "What is it?" "Well, I got a message for you." "[door opens]" "What?" "Well, lawyer called." "Said he wanna meet with y'all." "[breathing heavily]" "Sidney!" "Donald!" "Raymond, why you driving so fast like that?" "What you mean?" "I always drive like that." "[breathing heavily continues]" "What?" "[Mildred] Richard..." "What is it?" "It's okay." ""Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay, and red," ""and he placed them on separate continents." ""And but for the interference with his arrangement" ""there would be no cause for such marriages." ""The fact that he separated the races shows" ""that he did not intend for the races to mix."" "I know it sounds strange, but this is really wonderful." "By issuing this ruling, Judge Bazile has really given us a road map right to the Supreme Court." "I'm sorry." "I'm confused." "He ruled against us again." "That's right, but now we're allowed to appeal that ruling to the state." "From there, if the state rules against you, we'll have a chance at the Supreme Court." "That sounds wonderful." "I have one little piece of housekeeping." "LIFE magazine contacted us about sending a photographer out to you all." "Keeping the possibility of the Supreme Court in mind," "I think it's a fair idea that we raise the profile of your case." "But I, of course, want to make sure that you are all comfortable with that." "It'll be fine." "Hello." "Grey Villet, LIFE magazine." "Pleasure." "What you got there, a small-block?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "What's the trouble?" "Carburetors." "Oh." "Well, then you're a better mechanic than me." "If you re-jet them, it goes faster, though, right?" "I'm sure you already know that." "Is your, uh, wife inside?" "Uh-huh." "Huh?" "Oh." "Hello." "Grey Villet, LIFE magazine." "May I?" "Of course." "Come on in." "Oh." "Something smells good in there." "[laughter] So, uh, I can't go back without a photo." "No photo, no job." "And this is LIFE magazine, and the pigeon guy isn't around." "[children] "Pigeon guy"?" "That's right." "I'm looking up at this office building, and it hits me." "[gasps] Right." "I go 55 stories up, and I talk some office girls into letting me look out the window." "Before they could do anything, I throw open the window, sit on the ledge, and dangle my feet out." "[laughter] They start screaming, but I got this great shot of my feet flying over 42nd and 5th Avenue." "Yeah." "So, what happened?" "Security threw me out headfirst." "[laughs]" "But LIFE magazine hired me the next day." "That is..." "That's a story, all right." "[Sidney] Yeah, that's a story, all right." "[laughing]" "You go to the Virginia state court next, right?" "Yes." "You nervous?" "I suppose." "Mm." "The lawyers told us not to expect much." "You think you'll lose?" "Well, yes." "But I think it's all right." "We may lose the small battles but win the big war." "[shutter clicks] [woman on TV] Roast beef, coleslaw." "[man on TV] Uh-huh." "Yeah." "And here's the surprise." "[clears throat]" "Some of my new homemade pickles." "[Richard chuckling]" "That certainly is a wonderful surprise." "Look at that, Barney." "Aunt Bee's brought us some of her homemade pickles." "[Barney] I see." "Sure is wonderful." "You really shouldn't have, Aunt Bee." "That's right, Aunt Bee." "You go to way yonder too much trouble to please us." "[Richard chuckles] [Aunt Bee] It's no trouble at all." "There's plenty." "I made eight quarts." "Eight quarts?" "Oh, Aunt Bee made eight quarts." "Eight quarts." "You can have some every day." "[Richard laughing]" "[Barney] Oh, well, I had an awful big breakfast." "[camera shutter clicks]" "I just stuffed myself something..." "[camera shutter clicks] [both chuckling] It's just a pickle." "Here you are." "And here you are." "Mr. Loving." "Mr. Loving." "Just..." "They just wanna ask you a few questions." "Uh, all right." "Mrs. Loving..." "You rolling?" "Mrs. Loving, the Virginia Supreme Court just ruled against you." "How do you feel about what happened here today?" "Well, I feel hopeful." "I'm hopeful." "And where will you go now?" "Well, I guess we'll go back to Washington." "You'll..." "You'll go back to Washington?" "Mr. Loving, do you have anything to say about what went on in the court today?" "No, I don't have anything to say." "Okay." "Well, thank you, folks, very much." "Did you get that?" "I think so." "All right." "Cut, Donnie." "Mr. and Mrs. Loving." "We wanted you to know that, with all this travel back and forth from Virginia, you have my number, and if anybody arrests you, you have them get in touch with us." "We're not gonna let you spend one minute longer in jail than it takes us to get down there to get you out, okay?" "Okay." "Good luck to you." "You did a good job today." "Well, I sure appreciate what y'all doin'." "Okay." "All right." "We'll see you soon." "Bye." "Thank you, gentlemen." "You know they aren't going back to Washington." "And there's no guarantee we can get them out if they get arrested again." "Mm-hmm." "[men chattering]" "[engine revs]" "[tires screeching]" "Sidney!" "Sidney!" "I want you to go next door to the neighbor." "You're gonna ask him to use the telephone, and you're gonna call Raymond, ask him to bring his gun." "All right?" "Go." "Go on now." "Run through the wood." "Go on." "Everything okay?" "It's fine." "Richard?" "Go on inside." "[crickets chirping]" "[sighs]" "That truck may have just been going fishing." "Could be." "You ever hear from anyone at your work about it?" "Not to my face." "Well, I'll tell you this, Rich, nobody gonna tell you what you can't do." "[clack] [dial tone]" "You're all set." "[Mildred] Thank you." "Who we gonna call, Mama?" "I don't want you calling anybody." "How'd that go?" "Doctor said she'll be fine." "Just put her on aspirin." "Who's that?" "Telephone man." "Richard had him install a phone." "Mama, you feel okay?" "Yes." "You got some tea I can drink?" "All right." "Mm-hmm." "[children chattering]" "Testing." "Testing." "Testing." "[door opens]" "What do you think you would do if you, uh..." "if you lose the case?" "[camera whirring]" "[Mildred] Well, if we lose, then we would have to go back to Washington." "And how does that make you feel, having to go back to Washington?" "[Richard clears throat]" "[Mildred] Well..." "Mildred?" "Come here." "Excuse me." "Mm-hmm." "I don't want those people here." "I'm done with all these cameras." "Well, I think it's important." "These people want to help us, Richard." "[camera whirring]" "Well, actually, although I'm sure the publicity isn't very pleasant, if it works out for you, it'll work out for a lot of other people too." "Yes." "I hope so." "It's a principle." "It's a law I don't think is right." "And if... if we do win, we will be helping a lot of people." "Mm-hmm." "And I knew..." "I know we have some enemies, but we have some friends too." "So it really don't make a difference about my enemies." "[camera continues whirring] [children chattering]" "[car engine starts] [people chattering, shouting]" "Push in hard on that one, and you'll be straight down the way, okay?" "I got it." "I got it." "Don't worry about it." "Hey." "Good ride." "Make sure you get it into second as quick as you can." "You got it." "All right." "[engine revs]" "[tires screeching] [crowd cheering] [cheering continues]" "The car looks good." "Yeah, it's running all right." "¶¶ [blues] [chattering]" "I'm sitting in the backseat... [laughter]" "[chattering]" "Oh, man." "I miss you, Rich." "Hell, I can say it." "Hey, Percy, don't you miss Rich?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "I miss you, too, Virgil." "[laughter]" "Man, so... so, what's all this you got going?" "All what?" "What you got." "See, you just went and made it hard now." "No..." "You think I'm crazy, but you know what hard is now, don't you?" "Yeah." "Richard, you white." "[laughs]" "Now, you may think you're like a black man, but you're white." "You hang around all these black folks, but when you go to work, you're still white." "But not now." "Now you know what it feels like now, don't you?" "You black now, ain't ya?" "You a damn fool." "All right." "Come on now." "Mm." "No, he need to hear it." "Look, every nigga in here wish they were you, Rich." "And you ain't got sense enough for it." "You got a fix." "I ain't got no fix." "See, your one is easy." "All you gotta do is divorce her." "[chuckles] Divorce her?" "All you gotta do." "[chuckling] Yeah." "Yeah." "[chuckling] Yeah?" "I'm gonna divorce her." "[laughing] [laughing]" "That's all you gotta do, right?" "That's all you gotta do." "Mm." "[chuckles] [chattering]" "¶¶ [blues continues] [mutters]" "¶¶ [man vocalizing]" "¶¶ [continues]" "[muttering]" "Come to bed, Richard." "We've been talking to lawyers for near ten years now." "Let's go to bed." "I can take care of you." "I know that." "I can take care of you." "[crying softly]" "I know." "[sniffling]" "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "[sniffling] [whispers] It's okay." "[crying] [sniffling]" "[crying softly]" "[wind howling]" "[stomping feet] [exhales forcefully] [door closes] [exhales forcefully]" "[wood thudding]" "It's very good." "Mm." "Well, I have some really terrific news." "The Supreme Court has agreed to hear our case." "[relieved sigh] [Hirschkop] Now, of course, the state of Virginia will mount their defense, but we are feeling very good about our chances here." "You've got the full weight of the ACLU behind this." "[chuckles] It's a miracle." "[mutters]" "What's their defense?" "I'm sorry?" "Virginia." "How they gonna defend what they done to us?" "I guess we won't know until the hearing, but it's likely that they'll use a defense similar to something they've used before." "What's that?" "It's your kids." "Our kids?" "The state of Virginia will argue that it is unfair to bring children of mixed race into the world." "They believe the children are bastards." "Now, as the defendants in this trial, you are allowed to come and hear the arguments." "No." "We don't need to do that." "It's a tremendous honor to sit with the Supreme Court." "Very few people..." "No." "It's fine." "Excuse me." "[door closes]" "Mildred?" "I won't go without him." "You know, Richard, it's, of course, up to you not to attend, but you should know the Supreme Court only hears one out of every 400 cases." "It's historic." "Thank you, Mr. Cohen." "Well, is there anything you'd like me to say to them?" "And by "them," I mean the Supreme Court justices of the United States." "Yeah." "You can tell the judge..." "You tell the judge I love my wife." "You okay to park?" "Thanks, Martha." "[man] Number 395." "Richard Perry Loving," "Et Al., Appellants, versus Virginia." "[mechanical whirring]" "Mr. Hirschkop." "Mr. Chief Justice, associate justices, may it please the court?" "You have before you today what we consider the most odious of the segregation laws and the slavery laws." "And our view of this law..." "and we hope to clearly show..." "Okay!" "... is that this is a slavery law." "We ask that the court consider the full spectrum of these laws and not just the criminality, because it's more than criminality that's at point here." "It's the right to inherit land, the legitimacy of children, and many, many rights." "[man] Mr. Cohen." "Mr. Chief Justice, may it please the court?" "What is the danger to the state of Virginia of interracial marriage?" "What is the state of danger to the people of interracial marriage?" "[Mildred speaking, faint]" "Marriage is a fundamental right." "Pass me that." "[chattering]" "[laughing] [playful grumble] [children continue chattering] [phone ringing]" "Hello?" "[loud chatter]" "[Cohen, faint] Mrs. Loving?" "Yes?" "It's Bernard Cohen." "Oh, hello, Mr. Cohen." "I'm calling with great news." "What's that?" "[loud chatter continues]" "[Cohen speaking, faint] ... back in our favor." "[Cohen continues, faint]" "Yes, I'm here." "That's wonderful news." "Yes, I understand." "Okay." "Thank you, Mr. Cohen." "[laughing] [children chattering]" "[overlapping shouting]" "Mr. Loving..." "Mr. Loving!" "Mr. Loving, how does it feel to have the Supreme..." "Mr. Loving, have you heard from the attorney general?" "Mrs. Loving, what does this mean to your family?" "Do you plan to return to Virginia?" "Have you heard from the attorney general?" "Several Southern states have already announced... [overlapping shouting]" "Take that to your daddy." "[chattering]" "Whoa." "Wanna help me?" "Mm-hmm." "You wanna brush the wall?" "[muttering]" "[children continue chattering]" "¶¶ [guitar]" "¶ Another night for a heartache ¶" "¶ They just don't want to let us be ¶" "¶ Nothing left except outcast love ¶" "¶ But it's enough for me ¶" "¶ It's enough for me ¶" "¶ I won't let them keep us apart ¶" "¶ 'Cause love can't be bound by chains ¶" "¶ They might come for us in the dark ¶" "¶ But it's enough to stay ¶" "¶ It's enough to stay ¶" "¶ I can tell 'em that I love you ¶" "¶ I can prove my heart is true ¶" "¶ It might not be good enough for them ¶" "¶ But I just wanna be good enough for you ¶" "¶ Remember how it felt the first night?" "¶" "¶ This love we can't afford to lose ¶" "¶ I'll take care of you the rest of my days ¶" "¶ If that's enough for you ¶" "¶ That's enough for you ¶" "¶ I can tell 'em that I love you ¶" "¶ I can prove my heart is true ¶" "¶ That might not be good enough for them ¶" "¶ But I just wanna be good enough for you ¶" "¶ Ohhh, love ¶" "¶ All the time ¶" "¶ Hold your heart there ¶" "¶ Next to mine ¶" "¶ So one more night here without you ¶" "¶ And then to you I will come back ¶" "¶ They ain't ever taking me away again ¶" "¶ I've had enough of that ¶" "¶ I've had enough of that ¶" "¶ And I can tell 'em that I love you ¶" "¶ And I can prove my heart is true ¶" "¶ That might not be good enough for them ¶" "¶ But I just wanna be good enough for you ¶" "¶ Just wanna be good enough for you ¶" "¶ Just wanna be good enough for you ¶" "¶ Wanna be good enough for you ¶" "¶¶ [ends]"