For unmarried partners, the proportion of mixed-race couples was nearly 12 percent.

I also wanted to write about the large number of mixed-race couples I seemed to spot everywhere.

In South Bend, Indiana, we discovered that the coffee shops wouldn't serve a mixed-race couple.

Many are African-Americans (and a substantial number of mixed-race couples) who say they seek to discover their roots - or simply feel comfortable uptown.

"He has an obsession with mixed-race couples," said Mr. Dees.

"But you told us to go bring in a mixed-race couple!"

Seems she'd sent them out to drag in a mixed-race couple to play some kind of game with.

When the play was performed in England it was given a happy ending, in which the mixed-race couple are united.

Still, even in the most enlightened areas, mixed-race couples faced enormous social stigma.