# Were black-white marriages still taboo in 1980s/early 1990s America? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2017, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075 "2017-08-08T09:14:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/21 "2017-08-08T20:45:22Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > And what have you learned from your time in Cleveland, young lady? Nothing, I’m still grounded. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/22 "2017-08-08T21:44:03Z")
You aren’t going to hear a lot of random people openly expressing their racist disdain about anything nowadays. That doesn’t mean everything is fine. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/23 "2017-08-08T21:53:59Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > The reason I notice in the preschool is that we have to sunscreen the kids, so I’m very aware of how light or dark all the kids’ complexions are. But all of them should get sunscreen! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/24 "2017-08-08T23:41:11Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > You do know that there are many black people who also disapprove of inter-racial marriages don’t you? > I have several black friends who are totally against inter-racial dating and marriages. More of my black friends disapprove of it than the white ones do. > I have black friends that I can’t even go into their neighborhoods, not just because I am not welcome (safe) there, but because of the shit they would have to face for bringing me there. > Where I used to live (Baltimore) you will see the inter-racial couples in the predominantly white neighborhoods. You won’t see them in the black neighborhoods. > My black friends from the inner city never even saw a mixed race couple until they came out to the suburbs, and they were shocked by how many they saw. They won’t date white people because the know it won’t go over well in their families. > One of my friends is very hurt that his parents will babysit his sister’s black baby but want nothing to do with his bi-racial baby. > > \*Don’t be putting this on white people. \* > It goes both ways. > My last relationship ended because of the racism on _HIS_ side. I couldn’t go to any family events because I am white, we spent NO holidays together because I was not allowed in _their_ homes. > More his fault for not having the balls to stand up for me. > It’s not something I would have tolerated from my family. I’ve heard of black women accusing white women of “stealing their men”, too. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/25 "2017-08-09T00:16:19Z")
My wife is black and we married in 1998 in Florida. Things were pretty well accepted in Florida at that time. Kentucky in 2006 was another matter. Although there was no hostility, it was hard to get anyone to acknowledge our marriage, it was like a mental block. Co-workers would always refer to me as her boyfriend. At restaurants we’d get asked if we wanted seperate checks about 60% of the time, whereas in Florida it has literally NEVER happened. But yeah, given that Florida is the South, I figure by the late 90s at least it wasn’t a big deal. Early 90s I was still hearing the argument about worrying about the children but there wasn’t much conviction in those arguments at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/26 "2017-08-09T00:27:41Z")
When I visited one of my former professors in 1964 and told him I was engaged, he asked me only, “Is she white?” I don’t think that was real question, however, which was, “Is she Jewish?” I suspect that for him, the two things were comparable, interracial and interreligious. Incidentally, until 1967 it was actually illegal in VA and probably other southern states. Google Loving v. VA for details. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/27 "2017-08-09T01:12:01Z")
Hell, I married an Asian-American woman in 1980 and we still got disapproving looks. In fact, my wife once asked me to get her the hell out of a mall because she did not feel comfortable. We didn’t go back there for 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/28 "2017-08-09T01:23:48Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Central Jersey late 70s: > > Our next door neighbors were a mixed marriage. We kids didn’t care of course and my parents seemed comfortable with it but the family from Italy next door didn’t seem to like or respect it. So I think it still varied a lot. > > My father invited them over to a few BBQs and my mom made a baby blanket & sweater for their first born and later my father found some work for the neighbor in the trucking company my father worked for. > > Oh, weird note: in 1970 just Jewish & Catholic marriage was still considered weird or taboo so the fact my parents, children of the depression and not liberals by any means were OK with the mixed race marriage was a good sign I believe. My kids find it funny that my wife and I would have been controversial though in 1970. By 1992 when we got married though not a thing though. When my cousin brought home a black man, the first question was “Is he Jewish?” Since he was, everyone was cool. He could have been purple, as long as he was Jewish. But that has more to do with the difficulties of living a Jewish life with someone who isn’t also Jewish than prejudice. A convert would have been fine as well. > [@gigi](#): > > But all of them should get sunscreen! They do. It just seems if one kid runs out for one day, it’s always one of the white-skinned tow-heads, never one of the olive-skinned brunettes. ---
**Author:** ![Annoying\_Buzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Annoying\_Buzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annoying_Buzz)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/29 "2017-08-09T05:05:31Z")
Based on Gallup’s regular polls, approval of interracial marriage (specifically, “_do you approve or disapprove of marriage between blacks and whites?_”) didn’t pass 50% nationwide until after 1995. It was at 87% in 2013, and 4% in 1958. > **[In U.S., 87% Approve of Black-White Marriage, vs. 4% in 1958](https://news.gallup.com/poll/163697/approve-marriage-blacks-whites.aspx)** > > Representing one of the largest shifts of public opinion in Gallup history, 87% of Americans approve of marriage between blacks and whites, up from 4% in 1958. Older Americans are the least likely to approve. At the time of _Loving v Virginia_ approval was under 20%. If repeal of anti-miscegenation laws had been done on the “let the states decide” basis some advocate for same-sex marriage, it’s likely that in some states it would still be illegal today. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/30 "2017-08-09T12:18:08Z")
Were Hispanic-White marriages were fine? I mean one of the most well known TV shows of the 1950’s had a Hispanic-White couple (I love Lucy). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/31 "2017-08-09T12:27:12Z")
#BlackLivesMatter ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/32 "2017-08-09T16:27:39Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I’ve heard of black women accusing white women of “stealing their men”, too. I’ve heard that one many times, as well as the only reason black men date white women is because we white women have no self respect and will put up with their shit. Both comments are disrespectful to black men. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/33 "2017-08-09T16:42:22Z")
My very Catholic Grandpa complained about having to spend time with, and I quote, all these Protestants at a cousin’s wedding. Unfortunately, prejudices will only die when those that hold them die and that can take a long time. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/34 "2017-08-09T18:07:10Z")
And in 1960 people were worried that JFK would be beholden to the Pope if I read correctly. How screwed up was that crap? Then so much more recently Obama was both a secret Muslim and a radical black Christian at the same time as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/35 "2017-08-09T18:41:31Z")
My sister dated a black man for a short time in the early 1980’s. My parents were rather alarmed and had her meet an interracial couple their age (after only one date with the guy) so she could be told how difficult it would be for her. :rolleyes: Of course, my other sister came out in 1977, things didn’t go well with my parents and still, to this day, they have problems with the idea of gay people. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/36 "2017-08-10T14:27:16Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Were Hispanic-White marriages were fine? I mean one of the most well known TV shows of the 1950’s had a Hispanic-White couple (I love Lucy). It probably depended on the skin tone of the Hispanic partner. Desi Arnaz was [pretty pale](https://www.google.com/search?q=desi+arnaz&tbm=isch&imgil=6nIefdJleahewM%253A%253BmE5RKihUtatVmM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.metv.com%25252Flists%25252F10-fascinating-facts-about-desi-arnaz&source=iu&pf=m&fir=6nIefdJleahewM%253A%252CmE5RKihUtatVmM%252C_&usg=__hsOJ0Q7QCXu4bM8IgdPhNfa5vZk%3D&biw=1600&bih=777&ved=0ahUKEwjM-tSG78zVAhXFRiYKHXxzAH8QyjcIyAE&ei=YmyMWczBK8WNmQH85oH4Bw#imgrc=6nIefdJleahewM:); he was probably the archetype of the “inoffensive Spanish guy.” If he’d looked more like [Pablo Sandoval](https://www.google.com/search?q=pablo+sandoval&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjM_4Kn78zVAhVJziYKHXk4AI8Q_AUICygC&biw=1600&bih=777) I suspect the American TV-watching public might have reacted differently. It wasn’t that long ago that Italian-Americans (and even Irish-Americans) were considered nonwhite, or that _TIME_ stopped referring to every newsworthy Italian, Greek or Spaniard as “swart.” Race is weird. To continue with your TV example, Gene Roddenberry received hate mail for years after the Kirk/Uhura onscreen kiss (and would likely have actually been murdered if it was a black man/white woman, rather than the reverse). That was in 1968. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/37 "2017-08-10T18:18:57Z")
I grew up in the 1970’s in New Jersey and was friends with the daughter of one interracial marriage (Black father, Asian mother) and babysat the daughter of a second (Black father, Caucasian mother). I never heard about any trouble from them, which doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t have any. ---
**Author:** ![Murph1111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@Murph1111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murph1111)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/38 "2017-08-11T02:01:17Z")
I dated black girls in Atlanta in 1978 - 1980. Nothing unpleasant was said, although I’m certain a lot of people disapproved (both black and white). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/39 "2017-08-11T02:33:00Z")
Interracial couples still turn heads. No one says anything or gets upset. It’s so unusual that it’s impossible not to notice a Interracial couple in public. It’s none of my business and I just ignore them. Just like all the other strangers in the restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075/40 "2017-08-11T02:41:08Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Interracial couples still turn heads. > > No one says anything or gets upset. It’s so unusual that it’s impossible not to notice a Interracial couple in public. > > It’s none of my business and I just ignore them. Just like all the other strangers in the restaurant. Maybe in Arkansas, but it’s completely unremarkable here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-black-white-marriages-still-taboo-in-1980s-early-1990s-america/793075.md?page=3)