Why was the interracial romance a popular theme in American literature and cinema even during the period in which no African American and white individuals could legally wed in most states? Why does the black and white romance remain a fascination? The course will look for answers by examining multiple facets of the interracial romance from the 1920s to the new millennium. We’ll read stories by African American authors Nella Larsen, Dorothy West, James Baldwin, William Smith, and Danzy Senna, and discuss classic films such as Pinky, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and Jungle Fever. We’ll re-enter the court rooms of the Rhinelander and Loving cases and revisit historical landmarks. Equipped with the legal and historical perspectives, we will consider how authors deploy the interracial theme to address larger concerns about freedom, equality, and collective identity.