CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University History Theses Department of History 5-7-2016 "That Sublime Mingling of Races:" Abolitionist Support for Interracial Marriage Charles O. Boyd Georgia State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_theses Recommended Citation Boyd, Charles O., ""That Sublime Mingling of Races:" Abolitionist Support for Interracial Marriage." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2016. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_theses/104 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of History at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. “THAT SUBLIME MINGLING OF RACES:” ABOLITIONIST SUPPORT FOR INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE by Charles Boyd Under the Direction of Wendy Venet, PhD ABSTRACT This thesis examines abolitionist support for interracial marriage. It demonstrates that far from being a marginal viewpoint within the movement, support for interracial marriage was widespread among both black and white abolitionists. Many abolitionists stated they personally did not recommend interracial marriage at present due to the backlash couples would face, while also denying that it was unnatural or immoral. A few abolitionists eschewed such a disclaimer. A few also married people of different races themselves. To a considerable extent, defense of interracial marriage was part of a larger push for racial integration and equality. This thesis also looks at British abolitionists who criticized the American stigma against interracial marriage, and children and grandchildren of abolitionists who defended interracial marriage, the most prominent being the famous, controversial lawyer, Clarence Darrow.