Alice Beatrice Jones asserted her racial identity in response to a media uproar over her marriage, stating, "I'm not colored... I'm going to sue the papers that have called my father colored." This reflects her determination to fight back against the racial labeling imposed by the press.
After marrying secretly, Leonard Rhinelander expressed happiness initially, but soon sought annulment based on claims that Alice had deceived him about her race, indicating deep societal pressures surrounding interracial marriage during that era.
Edith Wharton’s observations on social elite marriage norms subtly implied within her writings showcased the historical bias against interracial unions, revealing the strong societal influence of class and race on marital choices.
The eugenics movement's rise in the early 20th century prompted legal measures aimed at controlling interracial relationships, exemplified by Virginia's Racial Integrity Act of 1924, signaling a societal push to uphold racial boundaries.
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