Final answer:
As of 1960, interracial marriages were c) illegal in a dozen U.S. states. This remained so until the 1967 Supreme Court decision in Loving v. Virginia, which overturned anti-miscegenation laws and allowed interracial marriages nationwide.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1960, there were a dozen U.S. states that made interracial marriages illegal. This era remained until the landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia in 1967, which overturned existing anti-miscegenation laws. The case invalidated Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act, along with similar laws in other states enforcing racial segregation, allowing interracial couples to marry legally. This decision was part of the broader civil rights movement to eradicate racial discrimination in the United States.
Until the Loving v. Virginia ruling, the legality of interracial marriages varied across states, with some having repealed such anti-miscegenation laws either through legislative action or through court cases. Virginia's law was one of the last to be challenged. The Lovings' case was pivotal not only for their personal victory but also for its lasting impact on civil liberties and the legal recognition of interracial marriages in the United States.