The Color Of Love: Famous Interracial Couples Throughout History

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.

This member of the Rat Pack broke many barriers during his life.

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."

Coming up: a couple with an "out of this world" claim to fame.

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.

Iman was introduced to David Bowie in the '90s by her hairdresser.

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."

Coming up is the story of a famous boxing champ.

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's relationship was once criticized. Now, they're known as one of Hollywood's strongest couples. Read on for their story.

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!

For this politician, seeing Ruth Williams was love at first sight.

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.

George Schuyler And Josephine Cogdell

George Schuyler was a controversial journalist in the 1920s, something that very much intrigued the young Josephine Cogdell at the time. Being interested in radical politics and new ideas, the wealthy Texas heiress decided to write to Schuyler. They planned to meet each other in New York and, according to them both, it was love at first sight.

They married in 1928, having one daughter, Philippa, who became something of a child music prodigy. The couple remained married until Josephine's death in 1969.

Gladys Emery and Gunjiro Aoki

As a servant in the Emery house, Gunjiro grew up knowing Gladys. Then, when they were in their 20s, Gladys declared her love for the Japanese man, stating that they were going to get married. Unfortunately for them, her parents and the state of California were very much against their union.

They decided to travel to Oregon, only to find the same racial prejudices. Finally, Gunjiro obtained a marriage license from the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Washington, and the two were able to wed in 1909.

This next couple is the epitome "relationship goals" for many people

John Legend And Chrissy Teigen

When singer John Legend and model/television personality Chrissy Teigen first met on the set of one of his videos, she was 20 and he was 28. It was love at first sight, with the pair returning to Legend's hotel room after filming had ended and eating In-N-Out burgers together.

They married in 2013 and today are parents to two adorable children, Miles and Luna, who frequently appear in Teigen's social media posts.

Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche And Juliette Lafargue

Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche met Juliette Lafargue in 1901, while, visiting Villejuif in France. The two married a few years later, in 1908. But because of racial tensions in France during the time, the two made the decision to voyage to Laroche's homeland of Haiti for employment.

Unfortunately, that voyage happened to be aboard the Titanic. The night of the iceberg crash in 1912, Laroche woke his pregnant wife and two young daughters, getting them to the top deck and on to life rafts. Laroche didn't make it. He's thought to be one of three black men aboard the vessel.

Tina Turner And Erwin Bach

Singer Tina Turner and her husband 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.

Serena Williams And Alexis Ohanian

Professional tennis player Serena Williams and the co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian, met in 2015 at the Rome Cavalieri hotel. According to Vanity Fair, Ohanian sat down next to Williams at the pool, and the two hit it off, with Williams inviting Ohanian to watch her match later that day.

The two went on to date, and the next year they had a daughter and were married. For Williams, she appreciates how they're very different people, saying, "We are totally opposite. I think we just complement each other. I think we understand hard work in different ways."

Jamie Chung And Bryan Greenberg

While actors Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg are married now, when they first met in 2012, they were both in relationships. Three years later, they were happily married in a beautiful ceremony in Santa Barbra, California. But, interestingly, the two actors chalk their successful relationship up to having alone time.

During an interview with ET, Chung said, "We enjoy spending time together, but we also enjoy spending time alone. It's our dynamic on how to make it work. He has his own hobbies and interests, and there's particular ones that bring us together, but we do have our individual outlets, creatively, and things we can just call our own."

Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery

Actress Ellen Pompeo met her now-husband Chris Ivery back in 2003 at a Los Angeles grocery store, of all places! The two had a few months of friendship before they began dating. Finally, they said their vows in 2007, and their first daughter was born a few years later, in 2009.

During an interview with US Weekly, Pompeo discussed her secret to a successful marriage. The actress said, "just don't try to change people. They are who they are, and they were fine when you married them, so don’t expect them to change.”

George And Amal Clooney

George And Amal Clooney were introduced in 2013 by a mutual friend. And while Amal had her eyes set on Clooney, he didn't know she wanted to date, thinking they were nothing more than "buddies." But it didn't take long for Clooney to fall for the Lebanese-British beauty. He proposed in 2014, and the two married the same year at the Aman Canal Grande resort in Venice, Italy.

During a speech, Amal discussed her marriage, saying, "We met and started hiding out in my London flat, and very soon it felt like, no matter what happened, I would never want to be with anyone else."

Ryan Piers Williams And America Ferrera

Actress America Ferrera first met Ryan Piers Williams in 2005, and while not a lot is known about their initial meeting, she did star in a student film he was directing at the University of Southern California. They married a few years later, in 2011. Honestly, this is a Hollywood power couple who just loves storytelling and working together.

When asked how it was working with her husband, Ferrera said, "to jump into [a movie] and know that the person who knows you the best and who has your best interest in mind has your back the whole time. We were able to do that for each other."

Maya Rudolph And Paul Thomas Anderson

Comedian and actress Maya Rudolph met her filmmaker "husband," Paul Thomas Anderson, in 2001. And while the two have been together ever since, they are not legally married, even though Rudolph does refer to Anderson as her husband. But it works for them for a very specific reason.

During an interview with US Weekly, Rudolph said, "I think, genuinely, like the effort to make an effort — [that's] the most romantic gesture. Like, to be present. To show up every day is kind of the most romantic part because you can bail at any moment."

George Lucas And Mellody Hobson

After meeting at a business conference in 2006, DreamWorks animation chairman Mellody Hobson began dating film director, producer, and Star Wars creator, George Lucas. The two dated for years before finally getting married on June 22, 2013, at Skywalker Ranch.

When talking with Oprah about their relationship, Hobson explained why it worked, saying, "I think it works because we are extraordinarily open-minded people and we're open to what the universe brings us, and I think we didn't have preconceived ideas about what a partnership should be and so we allowed ourselves to discover something that was unexpected."

Jessica Alba And Cash Warren

Jessica Alba and Cash Warren met on the set of Fantastic Four, in which Alba was starring as one of the heroes, and Warren was working behind the scenes as a production assistant. And while the two were very busy with their respective careers, they still found time for one another, marrying in 2008 in Beverly Hills.

In one of her iVillage blog posts, Alba explained how they keep their marriage strong, saying, "Making time for our relationship in our daily routine — even though it's surprisingly predictable and may not seem as spicy as our spontaneous pre-kiddo days — [it] really helps keep the romance alive."

Wanda Sykes And Alex Sykes

For Wanda Sykes and Alex Niedbalski, being an interracial and gay couple was difficult, with marriage equality just beginning to take off in the political realm. The two met in 2006, on a ferry to New York's Fire Island, dating for a few years before getting married secretly in Las Vegas in 2008.

During an interview with O, Sykes said, "The drive behind me coming out publicly was when it became political, back when Proposition 8 was being talked about. I felt like I had to say something. That's when I said alright, it's important to speak out."

Enrique Iglesias And Anna Kournikova

Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias met professional Russian tennis player Anna Kournikova in 2001, on the set of the pop stars "Escape" music video. Kournikova was playing Iglesias' love interest in the video, and, from there, the rest is pretty much history. The two began dating, eventually having three beautiful children together.

For the singer and tennis player, marriage isn't overly important. During an interview with US Weekly, Iglesias said, "I don't think you love someone more because of a piece of paper. Nowadays, it’s not taboo to have kids and not be married. What makes a difference is that you’re a good parent, period."

Lisa Bonet And Jason Momoa

For Jason Momoa, Lisa Bonet was his end game before they even met in person. The Aquaman actor first laid eyes on his future wife on the television screen when she played Denise Huxtable. Momoa even recalls telling his mom, "Mommy, I want that one."

The two finally met in 2005 while they were both at a New York jazz club. During an interview with Porter magazine, Bonet said, "In that moment, love came, and it came big, and he did not run as I think a lot of men do. He basically picked me up and threw me over his shoulder, caveman style!" Their marriage was official in 2017.

Salma Hayek Pinault And Francois Henri Pinault

French billionaire businessman and philanthropist Francois Henri Pinault and actress Salma Hayek met in 2006, during a gala at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice. But Hayek is very protective of the romantic night, saying, "it's such a romantic, amazing story, but it is mine."

The two were married a year later, after announcing Hayek's pregnancy. They opted for two ceremonies, one being a quiet affair while the other was a star-studded celebration in Venice, Italy. When speaking of their marriage, Hayek says, "I get to be who I am with him, and I don't feel that somebody tries to limit me."

Kelly Ripa And Mark Consuelos

It might not come as a surprise that Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos found love on their soap opera, All My Children. On-screen, the two were love interests, and in 1995, the two started dating off-screen, too. One year later, the two actors decided to elope in Las Vegas, being happily married with three children ever since.

When asked about what attracted her to Mark all those years ago, Ripa's answer was simple. She told Woman's Day that "he was positively an alpha male, and I didn't think I would be drawn to that. But I just worship him."

Robert De Niro And Grace Hightower

Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower's relationship hasn't been an easy ride, but let's start from the beginning. The two met in 987 at a London nightclub, but they didn't date and get married right away. They waited a decade, tying the knot in 1997. Then, only two years later, divorce and a custody battle ensued.

But, plot twist, the two rekindled their romance and vows in 2004, with De Niro jokingly saying, "[The officiants] can make sure this one sticks." It didn't stick, and in 2018 the two split once again.