Famous Interracial Couples That Changed History Forever
Throughout history, many interracial couples have been scrutinized and criticized by the general public. They’ve fought for their right to love, some even making their way to the Supreme Court in hopes of helping people in the future. But some couples make history together in other ways.
Each of these couples, from regular people who became famous for their relationships to some of today’s biggest celebrities, navigated the racial climate of their time. What they all have in common is their want to live, love, and marry on their own terms.
John Lennon And Yoko Ono
Legendary Beatles musician John Lennon and artist Yoko Ono met at a London art gallery in 1966. The two instantly connected, starting a somewhat controversial romance, as interracial couples were just coming out of being seen as taboo in the United States.
Three years after their first meeting at one of Ono’s art exhibitions, the couple got married and remained together until Lennon’s assassination in 1980. In 2000, Ono founded the John Lennon Museum in Japan.
Sammy Davis Jr. And May Britt
Singer Sammy Davis Jr. and Swedish actresses May Britt married in 1960, during a time when many Americans didn’t approve of interracial coupling. Britt was from a different place, though, and she saw no reason why color should keep her away from the man she loved.
Even though the two divorced eight years after saying their vows, they are said to be leading figures in the fight for marriage equality. Gerald Early, editor of The Sammy Davis Reader, said, “It was one of those things in the ’60s that was part of opening up American society a little bit. [They] were pioneers in making America more accepting of interracial marriage.”
Louisa And Louis George Gregory
Unfortunately, for Louisa and Louis George Gregory, their love story had them apart for most of their marriage. The two met in Egypt in 1911 while on a pilgrimage to the Middle East. While there, they met Baha’i leader Abdu’l-Baha who told the two they should wed.
Their union would become the first interracial marriage in the Baha’i Faith. But not everyone was alright with the interracial coupling, and they spent a lot of time apart. Louis spent much time in the South, teaching the Baha’i Faith while Louisa taught in Eastern Europe. They were married for almost 40 years until Louis’ passing in 1951.
David Bowie And Iman
British singer and songwriter David Bowie met supermodel Iman back in 1990 during a dinner party. It was actually Iman’s hairdresser who introduced the two, and, for Bowie, it was love at first sight.
He told Hello! magazine that “[I] couldn’t sleep for the excitement of our first date. That she would be my wife, in my head, was a done deal. I’d never gone after anything…with such passion in all my life.” The two married in 1992 kept a low profile, not wanting their private home life to be plastered all over magazine headlines. Bowie, sadly, passed away in 2016.
Richard Loving And Mildred Jeter
When family friends Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter married in 1958, they probably had no clue they were going to make history. As an interracial couple in the Commonwealth of Virginia, their sanction was illegal. The two were arrested in the middle of the night, paving the way for the landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia.
In a statement to the Washington Evening Star, Jeter said, “not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me.”
Pearl Bailey And Louie Bellson
Pearl Bailey was a talented singer and actress throughout the ’40s-’80s. And it was in 1952 that she was introduced to jazz drummer Louie Bellson, the first white musician in Duke Ellington’s band. It was a quick romance, with the two falling for one another in just four days.
During a time when interracial coupling was frowned upon, the two still married. They said their vows in London on November 19, 1952, and were together for 38 years.
Jack Johnson And Irene Pineau
Jack Johnson was the world heavyweight boxing champion, a status that made him turn his nose up to the Jim Crow laws at the time. For him, his third marriage to a third white woman wasn’t abnormal in the 1920s. He met Irene Pineau at an Aurora, Illinois race track in 1924, and were married a year later.
They were together for 21 years, and when asked what she loved about Johnson, Pineau said, “I loved him because of his courage. He faced the world unafraid. There wasn’t anybody or anything he feared.”
Betty And Barney Hill
Betty and Barney Hill were a couple most famous for being the first “alien abductees.” It was during a time when the Hills were fighting for equality and dignity that they wound up losing a day, were supposedly abducted, and ended up having strange dreams of being brought up to an alien spacecraft.
Psychiatrists now believe their alien encounter was nothing more than a hallucination brought on by the stress of being in an interracial relationship during the ’60s. Thankfully, they didn’t allow the terror of the evening to affect their relationship. They were happily married for nine years before Barney’s untimely death in 1969.
Alfre Woodard And Roderick Spencer
Alfre Woodard is no stranger to critics, having dealt with them most of her personal and professional life. But if there is one thing she’s good at, aside from acting, is proving people wrong and standing her ground. And that’s exactly what she did when she married Roderick Spencer in 1983.
At the time, the couple’s relationship was highly criticized. But they stood together, supporting one another through the hard times. Now, they’re considered to be one of the strongest couples in Hollywood, having persevered through prejudice and mockery only to come out stronger.
Josephine Baker And Jean Lion
Singer, actor, and entertainer Josephine Baker had been married twice before accepting a proposal from wealthy French broker Jean Lion. The two were married in 1937, giving Baker the status of French nationality.
Not much is known about their relationship. But since it only lasted until 1940, the lack of knowledge isn’t overly surprising. Maybe it had something to do with Baker becoming a spy for the French military during World War II? That could put a bit of strain on anyone’s relationship!
Sir Seretse Khama And Ruth Williams
“I have met a girl, and I think you should meet her! Somebody I should like to be my wife.” That sentence is what Sir Seretse Khama, later the first president of Botswana, told his friend the first time he saw Ruth Williams. They were in London, and it was pretty much love at first sight.
But it was the ’40s, and they were a consent target for bigots. But they loved each other, getting married in 1948. During an interview with Ebony, Khama said, “But in matters of love the heart is seldom ruled by skin colouring. She did love me, and I knew that this was the woman I wanted for my wife.”
Bill de Blasio And Chirlane McCray
Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray met in 1991, while he was an aide to the deputy mayor of New York City, and she was writing speeches. As the now-couple tells it, de Blasio pursued McCray, knowing she was a feminist who played for the other team.
During an interview, McCray explained her life simply, saying, “In the 1970s, I identified as a lesbian and wrote about it. In 1991, I met the love of my life, married him.” The two have been happily married since 1994, having two children together.
Tina Turner And Erwin Bach
The iconic singer and actress Tina Turner found new love in 1986 when she met a German music executive named Erwin Bach. They began their relationship as friends but started dating within the year.
The two finally wed in 2013, after they’d been together for 27 years. Turner, who’d been through an abusive first marriage, revealed her newfound happiness with Bach in her memoirs. “I lived through the hellish marriage that almost destroyed me, but I went on,” she said. “Good came out of bad. Joy came out of pain. And I have never been so completely happy as I am today.”
Prince And Kim Basinger
New-to-Hollywood actress Kim Basinger met the famous singer Prince in 1989, while they were both working on Batman. She became so infatuated with him that she wound up moving to his hometown of Minneapolis so they could be together. Of course, their romance didn’t last, but Basinger has fond memories of their time together.
In an interview with the Daily Beast, the actress said, “It was a really special moment in time, and I have great memories. I don’t put a lot of restrictions on myself; let’s just put it that way. If there’s someone I connect with, we’ll go on these rides together.”
Paula Abdul And Arsenio Hall
Former talk show host Arsenio Hall met choreographer Paula Abdul while the two were working on the film Coming to America in 1988. And while the two only dated for a year, Hall has nothing but praise for his ex-girlfriend.
During an interview with Parade, Hall discussed Abdul, saying, “The most fun I’ve ever had in any phase of my life with a woman was with Paula. We were together because we wanted to be.” Dating rumors sprouted up in 2009, but, as it goes, they were only rumors, and the two haven’t rekindled their old romance.
Donna Summer And Bruce Sudano
It didn’t take long after meeting at Casablanca Records in 1977 for disco queen Donna Summer and songwriter Bruce Sudano to start dating. Actually, it only took a few months! Then, the two were off, writing legendary tracks and making history together with songs such as “Bad Guys.”
Three years later, the two wed on a 52-acre ranch in Thousand Oaks, California, with their children, until 2012, when Summer passed away from lung cancer.
Diana Ross and Gene Simmons
Legendary musical artist Diana Ross once dated KISS bass guitarist and singer Gene Simmons in the early 80s. Simmons is shown trying to cover his face, as he didn’t want to be seen in public without his signature face make-up.
Ross and Simmons got together after Simmons’ split with Cher. However, their relationship didn’t appear to be over. Ross ended up splitting from Simmons after she realized there was still something going on between the two of them.
Marsha Hunt and Mick Jagger
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger famously penned the song “Brown Sugar” after being inspired by his lover, singer Marsha Hunt. The two had a passionate relationship, as proven by love letters collected that were written by Jagger, to Hunt.
Of course, their relationship was controversial, as Hunt was married at the time. However, she gave birth to Jagger’s first child, Karis in 1970. Their relationship ended at the same time.
