Remembering History: In 1966, LIFE magazine published, “The Crime of Being Married.” The article told the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a married interracial couple battling Virginia’s anti-miscegenation laws. The warm, intimate pictures revealed a close-knit family, including children and grandparents, living their lives in opposition to a patently unjust law — but also captured eloquent moments, gestures and expressions that affirmed just how heavily their defiance weighed on the very private couple.

In 1966, LIFE magazine published, “The Crime of Being Married.” The article told the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a married interracial couple battling Virginia’s anti-miscegenation laws. The warm, intimate pictures revealed a close-knit family, including children and grandparents, living their lives in opposition to a patently unjust law — but also captured eloquent moments, gestures and expressions that affirmed just how heavily their defiance weighed on the very private couple.

In 1966, LIFE magazine published, “The Crime of Being Married.” The article told the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a married interracial couple battling Virginia’s anti-miscegenation laws. The warm, intimate pictures revealed a close-knit family, including children and grandparents, living their lives in opposition to a patently unjust law — but also captured eloquent moments, gestures and expressions that affirmed just how heavily their defiance weighed on the very private couple.