‘The lovings’ case study

How primary group shapes the social nature of the lovings

A primary group refers to a collection of people who share close personal relations between each other. The Lovings were an interracial couple in Virginia in the late 1960s.The state had outlawed such marriages but the couple proceeded with their relationship. Richard and Mildred had supportive friends and family members .They had to adjust their social character based on how people perceived them. The couple was very tolerant toward their primary groups. They had face to face social interactions with Mildred’s family members and Richard’s mother as well who had rejected the couple. (SOC -502)

The couple was very caring towards their family members .Every time they were arrested, Richard’s father bailed them out of prison with his own finances. This evidently proves that they were a caring couple and in turn, their families reciprocated by caring for them. In addition to this, a lawyer volunteered to defend their plea deal in court. Such a gesture from a stranger shows the manner in which Richard and Jetter presented themselves. Primary group modelled them into becoming and thoughtful people. (SOC -502)

When the couple moved to the District of Columbia, their neighbors and friends their coworkers and friends were not bothered by their interracial marriage. The couple became more open and interacted with people at all levels. In the District of Columbia they were not shy and fearful but free and open. (SOC -502)

When they returned back to Virginia and their marriage was protected by the state, they lived their lives quietly and peacefully. They also returned back to Virginia because they missed their families. (SOC -502)

How primary group influenced the lives of the Lovings and their behavior

Their families and friends were very supportive of their interracial marriage. This molded their behavior and influenced their personality and personal beliefs .Their families supported the marriage which led to openness and transparent behavior towards supportive and friendly friends. Also, their relationship did not bring conflict among the relationship they had with their primary groups. Some of the friendships they had strengthened and they were able to build an active and interactive social network with their family and friends. In the situation of Mildred and Richard, it was very difficult to separate family and friend influence as they needed each and everyone’s support. This influenced them to have a more understanding personality towards their primary groups as they had to be more considerate. (Wallenstein, 2014).

They were also very communicative and stayed in touch with their primary groups. For instance, Richards’s father knew their whereabouts and used his own finances to bail the couple away from prison. The couple also responded accordingly when it came to what people thought about their marriage. Due to their effective communication they had mutual respect for their primary groups. (Wallenstein, 2014).

How people were expected to behave during 1950s and 1960s towards marriages. And how it influenced the Lovings.

In the rural south people were expected to behave in a mature and civilized manner .They were very conservative people with a unique culture. The marriage was a union between a man and woman of the same race and cultural background. Women were expected to be keepers of the house and men were the providers in the marriage. But when Richard and Mildred who had grown up in Virginia where it was normal for blacks and whites to mix, they disrupted the society’s expectations. (Alko, & Qualls, 2015). After getting married they were arrested on that very night. .Black and whites were not allowed to intermarry .They went to different schools and they did not mix as a society .The white Americans were more privileged than the black Americans and they attended better schools. The lovings went against these expectations when they got married in spite of being an interracial couple. The Lovings were well aware that their interracial marriage did not conform to the society hence they expected to be persecuted by the state of Virginia .Although they avoided persecution by marrying in a different state. When they stood trial, the judge gave them a choice to either annul the marriage or leave Virginia for more than twenty five years. The couple was also imprisoned from time to time due to their interracial relationship. (Alko, & Qualls, 2015).

Organizations and bureaucracies that were involved in the Mildred and Richard’s trial

Mildred wrote a letter to an attorney who instructed her to seek consult from American Civil movements. American Civil Union through their lawyer, Cohen Bernard decided to battle out their case at the Supreme Court. The media was also involved in the coverage of the interracial couple’s case until it was eventually overturned. (Newbeck, 2008).  The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit entity that usually defends the rights and freedoms of each and every individual in the United States according to the constitution. It intervenes when requested or by coming before the court (legislation). The bureaucracies and organization affected the Loving’s case in terms of their personal interest. The American civil liberties union saw it as an opportunity to fight for the rights of the blacks ad also used the chance to drive their personal agenda .They also revealed to the public  it was wrong for the court to prohibit interracial marriages .The brought to light what was wrong and influenced what was right and just. The Supreme Court eventually legalized marriage between different races. Hence interracial marriages were secured by the American constitution. (Wallenstein, 2014).

How family enabled the Loving to withstand persecution by the society

Richard loving and Mildred Jtter were loved by their families. This gave them the strength to withstand criticism they came across in the society they lived in .Their decisions also considered the plights of their families. For instance this is demonstrated when they returned from the District of Columbia for the sake of their families (Alko, & Qualls, 2015). Their families provided a platform through which they could air out their grievances and stresses. This enabled them to get all the emotional support and assistance they needed from them. Sharing their challenges with their families strengthened the bond between them and their families and enabled them to love them in their troubling times. The challenges they faced were lessen as their families contributed financially to help them move through every challenge. Their families were able to generate an intimate relationship with them at all fundamental levels regardless of the distance between them. Their families played a noticeable role in ensuring that there is unity between them and that their interracial marriage did not bring with it disunity amongst them. Therefore, despite the married the Loving retain their identity and place within their familiars. (Gold, 2007).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Alko, S. & Qualls, S. (2015). The Case for Loving. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Gold, S. D. (2007). Loving v. Virginia: Lifting the ban against interracial marriage.

Newbeck, P. (2008). Virginia hasn't always been for lovers: Interracial marriage bans and the case of Richard and Mildred Loving. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University

SOC -502:The3 Loving Family Case Study.

Wallenstein, P. (2014). Race, sex, and the freedom to marry: Loving v. Virginia.