# What is antimiscegenation?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-antimiscegenation/504>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [February 6, 2000, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-antimiscegenation/504 "2000-02-06T14:51:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-antimiscegenation/504/1 "2000-02-06T14:51:00Z")

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Cecil used this word in his most recent column, and I have no idea what it means. The dictionary came up blank.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-antimiscegenation/504/2 "2000-02-06T15:11:00Z")

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Miscegenation is marriage between people of different races. Antimiscegenation is forbidding marriages between members of different races. The USSC unanimously struck down antimiscegenation laws in _Loving v Virginia_ 388 US 1 (1967).

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-antimiscegenation/504/3 "2000-02-06T16:40:00Z")

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Antimiscegenation is a key element of the plot of the novel and musical _ShowBoat_. One of the actors (white) has married another actress (black) and turmoil ensues. I won’t go into the details, but see the musical for more information. It’s well worth seeing for its musical merits, and as a bonus you get to see miscegenation laws in action.

For rental, I recommend the 1936 movie version, directed by James Whale (that’s the same James Whale that directed _Frankenstein_ an _Bride of Frankenstein_, and whose character appeared in \*Gods and Monsters[/], played by Ian McKellen) with the great Paul Robeson playing Joe and belting out \*Old Man River[/].

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-antimiscegenation/504/4 "2000-02-07T05:00:00Z")

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> [@](#):
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> The USSC unanimously struck down antimiscegenation laws in _Loving v Virginia_ 388 US 1 (1967).

so Virginia really is for lovers?

* * *

and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe