Marylin Atkins

Retired Judge/Author

Today, more than 33 million Americans identify as more than one race, while interracial marriages account for 15.1% of all new unions, compared to 8.4% of existing ones, according to the U.S. Census.

These numbers began to skyrocket during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, when Judge Atkins was enduring a scandal of race and religion.

She was 19 and biracial, identifying as Black, having survived rejection by her white mother’s family (who named her Rosemary) and abuse by her adoptive mother and boyfriend. Her new husband, Thomas Lee Atkins, was 44 and white, and his recent departure from the Roman Catholic priesthood triggered the Bishop to damn them to hell.
It was 1966. Interracial marriage was illegal in many states. But they were in love, and enjoyed a powerful marriage, raising two successful mixed-race daughters and helping Marylin rise to become the longest-serving Chief Judge in the history of Detroit’s 36th District Court.