ABSTRACT
Statistics indicate that there are approximately 420,000) interracial married couples in the United States. This number includes approximately 125,000 black-white marriages, double the number in 1970. 1 This increase may be a result of the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Loving v. Virginia) that declared unconstitutional all laws prohibiting interracial marriages. As the proportion of these exogaxnous marriages continues to increase, it is likely that more attention will be given to the children of such couples. Much of the fear and opposition to interracial marriages has stemmed from concerns about the children. Will they be labeled "mulattoes" or "half-breeds"? Will they be denied opportunities because of their mixed-radal heritage? Will they suffer from identity and adjustment conflicts that affect their functioning in school?
