In honor of Black History Month, join us for a legal panel discussion in support of Virginia Opera’s world-premiere production of “Loving v. Virginia.” This event explores the origins, challenges and significance of the 1967 Supreme Court ruling that struck down state laws banning marriage between individuals of different races
Danielle Wingfield, assistant professor of law at the University of Richmond, will moderate a discussion with Mary Bauer, executive director of ACLU-VA; Kim Forde-Mazrui, the Mortimer M. Caplin Professor of Law at the University of Virginia; and author Peter Wallenstein, professor of history at Virginia Tech. A brief Q&A session will follow the discussion.
The program is offered in conjunction with the May 9–11 performances at the Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theater of the world-premiere opera. “Loving v. Virginia” is based on the true story of Mildred and Richard Loving, a married couple from Central Point, Virginia, who were criminally charged for their interracial marriage and forced to leave the state to avoid prison sentences. They took their case to the Supreme Court and won this landmark victory for Civil Rights in the United States.
Sponsors include Altria, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, CultureWorks and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.
This is a free event, but registration is required. Seating in the Lecture Hall is available on a first come, first served basis. Limited free parking is available underneath the Library at 800 East Broad Street. For more information, contact Anne McCrery at anne.mccrery@lva.virginia.gov or 804.692.3568.
Mark your calendar to join us again on Wednesday, March 5 at 2 p.m. for “A Loving Community,” an educational touring program commissioned by Virginia Opera that includes excerpts from the opera “Loving v. Virginia.”
