1978 Tennessee Proposal 1

Referendum to repeal interracial marriage ban March 7, 1978 Tennessee 199,742 191,745 Elimination of Prohibition of Interracial Marriages. 300px County results 300px Congressional district results Yes #7D9CBB 60–70% #B6C8D9 50–60% No #8B8B54 70–80% #BCBC83 60–70% #DEDEBD 50–60% 1978 Tennessee Proposal 1 was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Tennessee to repeal the state's unenforceable ban against interracial marriage. The amendment was symbolic, as the Supreme Court of the United States had ruled such bans to be in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment in Loving v. Virginia in 1967, making the ban unenforceable. Placed on the ballot by the 1977 Tennessee Constitutional Convention, the amendment received the endorsement of Governor Ray Blanton, as well as numerous newspapers throughout the state. With a voter turnout of ~15%, the amendment narrowly passed, with 51.02% of voters casting a ballot in favor. Background Tennessee's constitutional ban on interracial marriage dated back to 1870.August 10, 1977 Nashville Acts to End Mixed‐Marriages Ban https://www.nytimes.com/1977/08/10/archives/nashville-acts-to-end-mixedmarriages-ban.html March 26, 2026 The New York Times Associated Press By 1945, thirty U.S. states had adopted anti-miscegenation laws in statute form or in their state constitutions, including all states in the South.Altman Micah Klinker Philip A. 10 May 2007 Measuring the Difference Between White Voting and Polling on Interracial Marriage https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/du-bois-review-social-science-research-on-race/article/abs/measuring-the-difference-between-white-voting-and-polling-on-interracial-marriage/5BFB2974978722AE4911B0A77AEA0F9A 28 December 2025 Cambridge University Press In 1967, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled interracial marriage bans to be in violation of the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, thereby striking down all state laws that had banned such marriages.Loving v. Virginia https://www.oyez.org/cases/1966/395 live https://web.archive.org/web/20251003234932/https://www.oyez.org/cases/1966/395 3 October 2025 24 November 2025 Oyez On August 9, 1977, delegates to the 1977 Tennessee Constitutional Convention voted 85–3 to place an amendment on the ballot to repeal the ban, making it the first amendment approved by the convention. Endorsements Yes State officials Ray Blanton, governor of Tennessee (1975–1979) (#CEE0F2 Democratic)Kellett Robert March 8, 1978 Cheers For Vote Results Muted https://www.newspapers.com/image/771855803/ March 26, 2026 The Commercial Appeal Newspapers.com State legislators Victor Ashe, state senator from the 7th district (1975–1984) (#FFE6E6 Republican)February 8, 1978 Urges "Yes" vote https://www.newspapers.com/image/1223347002/ March 26, 2026 The Tomahawk Newspapers.com Newspapers The Jackson Sun Kingsport Times-NewsMarch 5, 1978 Newspapers Divided Sharply Over Issues In Constitutional Referendum https://www.newspapers.com/image/774299043/ March 26, 2026 Knoxville News Sentinel Newspapers.com United Press International Knoxville News Sentinel Lebanon Democrat Contents and amendment Contents The amendment, which was decided by Tennessee voters on March 7, 1978, alongside 12 other amendments referred by the 1977 Tennessee Constitutional Convention,March 8, 1978 County voters OK all proposals https://www.newspapers.com/image/590291295/ March 26, 2026 Johnson City Press Newspapers.com had the following information shown to voters for it:March 1, 1978 Official Sample Ballot https://www.newspapers.com/image/1223348233/ March 26, 2026 The Tomahawk Newspapers.comProposal 1: Elimination of Prohibition of Interracial Marriages. Be It Resolved, That Article XI, of the Constitution is hereby amended by deleting therefrom in its entirety Section 14 prohibiting interracial marriages. For Constitutional Amendment [] Against Constitutional Amendment [] Amendment The amendment repealed Article XI, Section 14 of the Tennessee Constitution, which had stated:February 2, 1978 Constitutional amendments https://www.newspapers.com/image/367687892/ March 26, 2026 The Daily News Journal Newspapers.com United Press InternationalSec. 14 Intermarriage between whites and negrosThe intermarriage of white persons with negroes, mulattos, or persons of mixed blood, descended from a negro to the third generation inclusive or their living together as man and wife in this State is prohibited. The legislature shall enforce this section by appropriate legislation. Results 199,742 people voted in favor (51.02%) and 191,745 (48.98%) voted against. County By county, the highest percentage of votes cast in favor came from Anderson County, with 64.30% in favor, and the lowest came from Pickett County, with 21.38% in favor. The following table details the results of the referendum by county:Constitutional Ratification Referendum Election—Tennessee—March 7, 1978 TN Secretary of State +Results by countyCountyYesNo#%#%Anderson4,33764.30%2,40835.70%Bedford1,52245.43%1,82854.57%Benton51733.97%1,00566.03%Bledsoe23628.57%59071.43%Blount4,34551.56%4,08248.44%Bradley2,36253.14%2,08346.86%Campbell65839.21%1,02060.79%Cannon32436.45%56563.55%Carroll85241.06%1,22358.94%Carter1,55838.76%2,46261.24%Cheatham61739.81%93360.19%Chester37837.69%62562.31%Claiborne33427.18%89572.82%Clay19123.64%61776.36%Cocke94448.04%1,02151.96%Coffee2,02949.45%2,07450.55%Crockett30032.68%61867.32%Cumberland1,94747.91%2,11752.09%Davidson30,06257.52%22,20342.48%Decatur34039.04%53160.96%DeKalb46240.78%67159.22%Dickson1,05839.88%1,59560.12%Dyer1,02144.43%1,27755.57%Fayette63240.80%91759.20%Fentress33433.40%66666.60%Franklin1,24645.52%1,49154.48%Gibson1,67744.67%2,07755.33%Giles73347.35%81552.65%Grainger28030.63%63469.37%Greene2,51254.80%2,07245.20%Grundy29336.08%51963.92%Hamblen1,77749.87%1,78650.13%Hamilton15,11959.56%10,26740.44%Hancock11033.85%21566.15%Hardeman1,28449.21%1,32550.79%Hardin71949.01%74850.99%Hawkins1,16842.17%1,60257.83%Haywood78948.35%84351.65%Henderson60045.73%71254.27%Henry1,53860.60%1,00039.40%Hickman53232.11%1,12567.89%Houston22638.31%36461.69%Humphreys56139.82%84860.18%Jackson22129.95%51770.05%Jefferson1,01547.85%1,10652.15%Johnson49948.92%52151.08%Knox15,85251.00%15,23149.00%Lake14532.88%29667.12%Lauderdale66134.18%1,27365.82%Lawrence1,05438.13%1,71061.87%Lewis43047.88%46852.12%Lincoln71540.40%1,05559.60%Loudon94944.28%1,19455.72%McMinn1,98555.37%1,60044.63%McNairy71844.62%89155.38%Macon42042.77%56257.23%Madison3,03351.20%2,89148.80%Marion84145.91%99154.09%Marshall1,10138.81%1,73661.19%Maury1,97546.29%2,29253.71%Meigs33154.98%27145.02%Monroe90440.21%1,34459.79%Montgomery3,71156.78%2,82543.22%Moore13836.70%23863.30%Morgan50642.85%67557.15%Obion79039.70%1,20060.30%Overton39831.17%87968.83%Perry20029.85%47070.15%Pickett9021.38%33178.62%Polk1,81260.16%1,20039.84%Putnam1,63245.57%1,94954.43%Rhea92552.65%83247.35%Roane2,29950.48%2,25549.52%Robertson1,01336.13%1,79163.87%Rutherford3,53452.75%3,16647.25%Scott39143.98%49856.02%Sequatchie31438.72%49761.28%Sevier1,41643.91%1,80956.09%Shelby35,91755.39%28,93044.61%Smith41033.52%81366.48%Stewart27541.42%38958.58%Sullivan5,63558.42%4,01041.58%Sumner3,15548.61%3,33651.39%Tipton1,22443.45%1,59356.55%Trousdale24040.54%35259.46%Unicoi59053.06%52246.94%Union27332.16%57667.84%Van Buren11429.23%27670.77%Warren84838.35%1,36361.65%Washington4,02557.81%2,93742.19%Wayne30340.84%43959.16%Weakley77439.71%1,17560.29%White58241.57%81858.43%Williamson2,93355.95%2,30944.05%Wilson1,90239.82%2,87460.18%Total199,74251.02191,74548.98 Congressional district By congressional district, the highest percentage of votes cast in favor came from the eighth district, with 58.53% in favor, and the lowest came from the fourth district, with 43.63% in favor. The following table details the results by congressional district:March 8, 1978 Statewide Vote: Proposals 1 Through 6 https://www.newspapers.com/image/112070712/ March 26, 2026 The Tennessean Newspapers.com +Results by congressional districtCDYesNo#%#%One21,52950.99%20,69749.01%Two25,69149.28%26,44050.72%Three29,08256.86%22,06943.14%Four23,84843.63%30,81356.37%Five31,69255.97%24,92744.03%Six27,11249.01%28,21150.99%Seven19,64545.45%23,57654.55%Eight21,17158.53%15,00341.47% Analysis Voting patterns The closeness of the vote was viewed as surprising by some newspapers, and ironic by others. With about 15% voter turnout, it had the lowest turnout since a similar 1953 special election where Tennessee voters decided eight constitutional amendments. See also Elections in Tennessee 1978 United States Senate election in Tennessee 1978 Tennessee gubernatorial election References Category:1978 ballot measures in the United States Category:Interracial marriage in the United States Category:1978 Tennessee elections Category:1978 in Tennessee Category:U.S. state constitutional amendments