This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

D. was born to unwed black teenage parents. D. was given up for adoption, and the mother who made the decision did not tell the natural father nor did she tell the natural father's mother nor stepfather, R.M.G. D. was placed with white foster parents. The foster parents nursed the sickly child to health and filed for an adoption. D's natural father was notified, and he objected to adoption. R.M.G. filed a petition for adoption, and the natural father consented to their adoption. The Department of Human Resources then studied the situation and recommended R.M.G. for the adoption rather than the white foster parents. This was made partly on expert opinion that cross-racial adoptions were always harmful to the children.

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