Oklahoma has the second-highest rate of interracial marriage in the country

[Plutonic Panda]

Maybe this belongs in the politics thread, I'm not sure. Thought this was interesting.

''Interracial marriage is on the rise in Oklahoma, according to the Pew Research Center. The Sooner State has the second highest rate of interracial marriage in the country. Hawaii has the highest rate of interracial marriage.

Between 2008 and 2010, 26.3 percent of all newly married couples “married out” of their race/ethnicity group, according to the Pew study. Of that, 5.6 percent were between white and Hispanic Oklahomans, 1.6 percent between white and Asian, 2 percent between white and black, and 17.1 percent were “other mixed,” a category that included Native Americans.

The “South,” which is how Pew labeled Oklahoma, had a 14-percent rate of interracial marriage between 2008 and 2010. Nearly one-fifth of Oklahoma’s 723,000 married households in 2010 included partners of different racial make-up, according to Census figures. As of 2012, 17.2 percent of married households include interracial couples, compared to 14.8 percent in 2000.

Interracial marriage wasn’t made legal until 1967. The momentous Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court decision set the precedent for numerous states around the country, granting people of different race and ethnicity the right to marriage.

Oklahoma’s original anti-miscegenation law, which enforced racial segregation in intimate relationships and marriage through criminalization, was passed in 1897. Oklahoma’s law was unique in the way it was phrased, specifically preventing “any person of African descent” from marrying “any person not of African descent.” The specific phrasing of the law was used to nullify relationships between blacks and Native Americans, exclusive to Oklahoma. The statute held a financial fine and prison time of up to five years. The law was deemed unconstitutional by the 1967 Supreme Court decision.

-See more here: MAP OF THE WEEK: Interracial Marriage in Oklahoma | This Land Press

[Plutonic Panda]

Here is a full interactive map: Interactive: Interracial Marriage: Who and Where | Pew Social & Demographic Trends

[CaptDave]

Might it have a bit to do with the number of people with Native American ethnicity in the state?

[Plutonic Panda]

Might it have a bit to do with the number of people with Native American ethnicity in the state?

Thought about that, but then again, I have still seen a lot of interracial couples and surprisingly more so than other states. Of course, I am not counting the number of interracial couples or really even noticing when I'm out of state.

[bluedogok]

According to their criteria I guess I am in an interracial marriage (white/Hispanic). I know that I saw a lot of that in Texas and up here, I do see many more white/black couples here in Colorado than I did in Austin.

[ou48A]

This is a credit to what's in the hearts of Oklahoma’s in general IMHO.

I believe we have a greater tendency to judge people based on their individual merits rather than skin color... We are not as bad as many places about at letting the peddlers of race push fear on us about others. Most Oklahoma's don't let them self’s be conquered by this fear for pure political gain.

[Prunepicker]

The left winged racists aren't going to like this thread. I wonder what
their hate attack will be?

[Prunepicker]

This is a credit to what's in the hearts of Oklahoma’s in general IMHO.

I believe we have a greater tendency to judge people based on their
individual merits rather than skin color...

Which is what Martin Luther King was all about. For the life of me I can't
understand why the hard lined left winged extremists are opposed to this
concept of live and let live.

[ljbab728]

Hmmm. I'm not surprised that someone would try to inject politics into this.

[venture]

Hmmm. I'm not surprised that someone would try to inject politics into this.

Sigh. It was going so well too. Some people just have an agenda and will never stop crapping on things to spread it.

PluPan, thanks for the story. I found it interesting.

[Prunepicker]

For some reason there are people who can't bear the thought that
Martin Luther King wasn't a racist. He wanted Blacks to be accepted
and not judged by their race. Who, except leftists, wouldn't want that?

Seriously, racism was on the was out until lbj and the Democrat racists
decided to keep stoking the fire of hate.

[ljbab728]

For some reason there are people who can't bear the thought that
Martin Luther King wasn't a racist. He wanted Blacks to be accepted
and not judged by their race. Who, except leftists, wouldn't want that?

Seriously, racism was on the was out until lbj and the Democrat racists
decided to keep stoking the fire of hate.

racism does not equal politics. I did not mention racism in my only previous post here, unlike the previous poster who can't seem to talk about racism often enough to suit himself.

[CaptDave]

For some reason there are people who can't bear the thought that
Martin Luther King wasn't a racist.

Of course I do not think Dr. King was a racist. Why do you? Or do you need some help with the English language/syntax?

[Prunepicker]

Can anyone explain why the left can't accept the fact that OK is open
minded? This must put a rock in their craw.

[Prunepicker]

Of course I do not think Dr. King was a racist.

??? You're kidding, right?

Please read my post before you react with your typical knee jerk reaction.
I say before you react because you obviously didn't read my post. But
you know that. Hey, why know what you're talking about when you can
make up crap that's wrong? Crap is so much easier to produce.

[CaptDave]

??? You're kidding, right?

Please read my post before you react with your typical knee jerk reaction.
I say before you react because you obviously didn't read my post. But
you know that. Hey, why know what you're talking about when you can
make up crap that's wrong? Crap is so much easier to produce.

What relevance does that have to the original post?

No I am not kidding. I do not think Dr. King was a racist.

[ljbab728]

Can anyone explain why the left can't accept the fact that OK is open
minded? This must put a rock in their craw.

Again with politics. This is not a political issue and you are the only one who thinks it is which must put a rock in your craw.

[Plutonic Panda]

Martin Luther King was a humanitarian, imo. I don't think his message was about blacks specifically having equality rather than everyone looking at each other as humans instead of diving one another into racial groups. The only race here is humans and he knew that. He wanted everyone to be treated equally with race completely out of the equation. I'm sure he still had pride in his race and it is always good to take pride in your race and culture, but you can still have balance and view everyone as human beings who share similar interest even if they seem different.

[CaptDave]

Oklahoma’s original anti-miscegenation law, which enforced racial segregation in intimate relationships and marriage through criminalization, was passed in 1897. Oklahoma’s law was unique in the way it was phrased, specifically preventing “any person of African descent” from marrying “any person not of African descent.” The specific phrasing of the law was used to nullify relationships between blacks and Native Americans, exclusive to Oklahoma. The statute held a financial fine and prison time of up to five years. The law was deemed unconstitutional by the 1967 Supreme Court decision.

-See more here: MAP OF THE WEEK: Interracial Marriage in Oklahoma | This Land Press

I assume this law is the reason behind the controversy a couple years ago of descendants of intermarried black and Native Americans being denied tribal recognition? (I confess I know very little about this particular issue other than a few TV newscasts.) Was the case ever resolved or is it still in the court system?

[venture]

Again with politics. This is not a political issue and you are the only one who thinks it is which must put a rock in your craw.

It's sad when attention is sought over more than Tinkerbell begging for clapping.

[stick47]

I assume this law is the reason behind the controversy a couple years ago of descendants of intermarried black and Native Americans being denied tribal recognition? (I confess I know very little about this particular issue other than a few TV newscasts.) Was the case ever resolved or is it still in the court system?

Where did you pick up on the "intermarrried" of those Blacks that were asking for the same benefits that Native Americans received? I followed the story and in particular the part about Maxine Waters shutting off funds to the Tribes prior to the court decision in attempt to force them to capitulate on the Blacks' claim.

[kelroy55]

It's sad when attention is sought over more than Tinkerbell begging for clapping.

I just consider the source

[CaptDave]

Where did you pick up on the "intermarrried" of those Blacks that were asking for the same benefits that Native Americans received? I followed the story and in particular the part about Maxine Waters shutting off funds to the Tribes prior to the court decision in attempt to force them to capitulate on the Blacks' claim.

Descendants of those people would normally be eligible for tribal membership and benefits if not for the old law PluPlan cited right? Seems to me if those people were descendants of marriages that were considered illegal in Oklahoma solely because of a law deemed unconstitutional they have a legitimate claim. I am asking if the two issues are related and if the unconstitutionality of that law was the basis for the claim. I assumed there would be at least a couple knowledgeable people on the subject that might enlighten me.

[Dubya61]

Interesting article, PluPan. Thanks for posting it. My first thought of this was that Oklahoma's abnormal statistic was centered around Native American presence here but that statistic was never specifically addressed. I was also surprised that the 5.6% of Oklahoma marriages between "whites" and "Hispanic Americans" was considered interracial. A quick google search led me to the Wikipedia article on race and not only did it not mention the "red, yellow, black and white" list, the first few paragraphs were mostly about how different the various definitions of race are and that many governmental bodies had determined to not recognize race at all.

[stick47]

Descendants of those people would normally be eligible for tribal membership and benefits if not for the old law PluPlan cited right? Seems to me if those people were descendants of marriages that were considered illegal in Oklahoma solely because of a law deemed unconstitutional they have a legitimate claim. I am asking if the two issues are related and if the unconstitutionality of that law was the basis for the claim. I assumed there would be at least a couple knowledgeable people on the subject that might enlighten me.

Getting off topic I think but to settle this issue, the lawsuit Maxine Waters pushed was not between Blacks with Native American ancestry but Blacks without it who were descended from Indian owned Black slaves. (Some of the tribes had slaves who were not Black)