Holding It Down! 15 Secrets of Celeb Couples Who’ve Stayed Together For Years

3. Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis

Along the same lines of Bill and Camille Cosby, when one thinks of iconic Black love, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee typically come to mind. In 1948, the late Ossie Davis married Ruby Dee, and their love story has blossomed for all of us to witness…both on and off screen. The couple, who at one time spoke of having an open marriage in their book With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together, say that freeing each other and themselves made their marriage stronger. Ossie says, “But looking back, I’d say no matter what did or did not happen, we freed each other. And in doing that, we also freed ourselves…Sex is fine, but love is better. That’s the most important part of being free. In light of what we learned, is extramarital sex something we recommend as a regular part of marriage? Not now…not anymore.”

Ruby continues, “But, we both came to realize that we were very fortunate that, in all of the deep profound, fundamental ways, we really, really only wanted each other. It was like a rediscovery of something from the beginning. It’s not something that you’d recommend to everybody. But often Ossie has said – and I’ve though too – the best way to have somebody is to let it go. If it doesn’t come back you are free in another kind of sense – in that you find the strength to let go and wish somebody well. So, we thought an open marriage was appropriate for us but it turned out not to be. But then that’s what we’re all about, we are moving from one position to another in the process of trying to unravel this thing call life.”

Source: With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together