Race Mixing: Black-White Marriage in Postwar America

by Renee C. Romano

Marriage between blacks and whites is a long-standing and deeply ingrained taboo in American culture. On the eve of World War II, mixed-race marriage was illegal in most states, politicians argued for segregated facilities in order to prevent race mixing, and interracial couples risked public hostility, legal action, even violence. Yet sixty years later, black-white marriage is no longer illegal or a divisive political issue, and the number of such couples and their mixed-race children has risen dramatically. Renee C. Romano explains how and why such marriages have gained acceptance, and what this tells us about race relations in contemporary America. Although significant numbers of both blacks and whites still oppose interracial marriage, larger historical forces have greatly diminished overt racism and shaped a new consciousness about mixed-race families. The social revolutions of the 1950s and 1960s (with their emphasis on individualism and nonconformity), the legal sanctions of new civil rights laws, and a decline in the institutional stability of marriage have all contributed to the growing tolerance for interracial relationships. Telling the powerful stories of couples who married across the color line, Romano shows how cultural shifts are lived by individuals, and how these shifts have enabled mixed couples to build supportive communities for themselves and their children. However, Romano warns that the erosion of this taboo does not mean that racism no longer exists. The history of interracial marriage helps us understand the extent to which America has overcome its racist past, and how much further we must go to achieve meaningful racial equality. Race Mixing will be welcomed as a text for classes in history, sociology, and African American studies.

Genres: American, Race

382 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 2003

About the author

Renee C. Romano is an associate professor of history and African American studies at Wesleyan University and the author of Race Mixing.

Reviews

[Brooke Garbarini · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely an academic book, so it will not be of interest to everyone. However, if you are interested in the topic, I think this is a well-written and well-researched book which remains engaging throughout. The book approaches the topic of miscegenation from a cultural perspective rather than a legal one, and it spends the most time addressing reactions to interracial marriage amongst families and in the general public between World War II and 2000. The book doesn't discuss in depth the legislative and court history of interracial marriage, but it successfully outlines what ideas lay beneath the laws and was ultimately responsible for the legalization of miscegenation. If there was one thing I disliked, it was the use of anecdotes as evidence for broader social trends. Usually personal histories and case studies were backed up with data and sound analysis, but sometimes a very limited piece of evidence, such as a survey of less than 50 individuals or a memoir, would be used as the main evidence for a conclusion. Overall, though, I liked the book's approach to the subject.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best History of a very real and,in many places,
divisive topic. Although interracial marriage
is said to be widely accepted there are still
pockets of disapproval in all segments of society.
Organizations that could have positively impacted
this subject, such as the Church, have failed to
do so. In the near future this issue of black versus white
will be a mote point. The bi-racial population is slowly
edging up.

[Rohma · Rating 3 out of 5]

clear and fairly easy to understand author's points.

[Claire Arbogast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Makes a complex subject easier to grasp.