Interracial couples: history and at Cabrini

By Troi Patrick
December 11, 2018

Students on Cabrini’s campus weigh in on the history and controversy of interracial couples. Historically, interracial couples were illegal but in modern society, interracial couples are becoming more and more common. Despite this, they still are not absolved from facing forms of discrimination and controversy.  

In 1958, interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving were jailed for breaking the Virginia law that stated that white people were only allowed to marry people that had “no trace whatsoever of any blood other than Caucasian.”

Interracial marriage became legal only a mere 51 years ago in 1967. Just a little over five decades ago. interracial marriage was illegal and mixed-race couples that you know would have a relationship that was seen as quite taboo at that time.  

“Personally, I have not had any challenges while being in an interracial relationship,” Cabrini sophomore Angela Rivieccio said. “It’s just not a big deal to me, everyone is equal in my eyes.”

Rivieccio and her boyfriend have been in an interracial relationship for a year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When asked if being in an interracial relationship has taught her anything she says, “With my boyfriend being half Puerto Rican, half African American, I got to experience different things.”

She talks about his difference in political views and different foods she was able to experience while being with him.  

Since the legalization of interracial marriage there has been a rise in intermarriage in the United States. Statistically though, interracial marriage is more common for college-educated Black people and Latino’s than White or Asian newlyweds.  

According to College Factual, about 58.7 percent of Cabrini’s undergraduate students identify as White. 18.5 percent of Cabrini undergraduate students are Black or African American and nine percent are Latino or Hispanic.

Compared to the national average of undergraduate ethnic diversity, Cabrini is slightly above average. Could Cabrini’s diversity make-up affect its amount of interracial couples?

“I think interracial couples are beautiful. I am not opposed to dating outside of my race,” Cabrini exercise science major Jais Truman said. “However I don’t really see an opportunity for that here because we aren’t social enough.” 

Although Cabrini is seen as above average in diversity by national standards, it is still important to consider undergraduate gender break down. Cabrini is about 61.4 percent female and 38.6 percent male. This could also be a factor in how couples date on campus and what races come together, if at all.

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Troi Patrick

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