1912 – Louis Gregory and Louisa Mathew
By 1912, interracial marriages had been made illegal in 90 per cent of Europe and USA but that did not stop African American lawyer Louis Gregory and his partner Louisa Mathew from getting married officially. The lawyer and his wife were hit with financial hardship after their marriage because Louis was not allowed to practice anymore. They became advocates for interracial marriages and Civil Rights. During the time of their marriage, the Jim Crow laws were separating black and white communities, and this made it very difficult for the couple to find a place to live together. Later, the couple were separated by the fact that they could not travel together. Louisa was forced to live in New York alone until she died while her husband went to the South to help fight for Civil Rights. But their relationship inspired many more similar couples to add their voice to the fight against the laws and move together with confidence. Many interracial couples began to go against the laws and got married, travelled together and lived happily.
