IN RECOGNITION of Black History Month, the Chappell Great Lives Lecture Series presents two landmark instances of discrimination and the courageous Americans who confronted them.

On Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium, the same night that it premieres on HBO, the Great Lives lecture will show clips from "The Loving Story," with guests attorney Bernard Cohen, who was part of the ACLU team that represented the Lovings before the U.S. Supreme Court, and Peggy Fortune, the Lovings' daughter.

In 1958, the sheriff of Caroline County charged into the bedroom of Richard and Mildred Loving in the dead of night and arrested them. Richard was white and Mildred was black, and although legally married in Washington, their union was against the law in Virginia and 13 other states. The case on their behalf was brought by the ACLU before the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that marriage is one of the "basic civil rights of man," leading to the overturning of all such laws in the United States.

"Though often overlooked among the pantheon of civil rights stories," said documentary director Nancy Buirski, "Mildred and Richard Loving's quest to live together as husband and wife in the state of Virginia was a pivotal struggle."

Then, on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m., Jonathan Eig, author of "Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season," will explain the significance April 15, 1947, the most important opening day in the history of baseball. When Jackie Robinson stepped onto the diamond that afternoon at Ebbets Field, he became the first black man to break into major league baseball in the 20th century. World War II had just ended; democracy had triumphed. Now Americans were beginning to press for justice on the home front--and Robinson had a chance to lead the way. But his biggest concern was his temper, and playing well, despite race-baiting by segregationists.

The complete schedule of the Chappell Great Lives Lecture Series is available online at umw.edu/greatlives/ calendar-of-lectures. If you would like to be added to the Great Lives email list for updates and special opportunities, send your email address to
Email: greatlives@umw.edu.