Historically, some religious doctrines opposed interracial marriages, but one notable exception is the Baha’i faith.

Introduced in the United States in 1893, this Middle Eastern religion promotes interracial marriage as a prerequisite to achieving world peace. There is only one Baha’i temple per continent; in the United States the Baha’i temple is located in Wilmette, Illinois.

I interviewed two interracial couples who were members of the Baha’i faith for my book on black-white marriages. As practicing Baha’is’ their parents had to consent to their marriage before it could take place. If a parent refused consent for any reason, the marriage would not be allowed.

How fortunate it was for these two couples that their parents supported their marriage welcoming a new in-law from another racial/ethnic background into their family. Parental acceptance of a new family member is not always assured in any marriage so it is refreshing to know that there is a religion that reduces this uncertainty from the very beginning of the marriage relationship.

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