Woman Claims Thurmond As Father
Proof Forthcoming, Black Retiree Says
By Marilyn W. Thompson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, December 14, 2003; Page A01
A 78-year-old retired Los Angeles schoolteacher said she is breaking a lifetime of silence to announce that she is the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of former U.S. senator James Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.), once the nation's leading segregationist. In an interview, the woman said that Thurmond privately acknowledged her as his daughter and provided financial support since 1941.
Essie Mae Washington-Williams described her claims in a lengthy telephone interview last week, saying she protected Thurmond because of their mutual "deep respect" and her fears that disclosure would embarrass her and harm his political career. Thurmond, who died in June at age 100, said late in life through his office that Williams was a friend.
Williams, whose mother worked as a maid in the Thurmond family home as a teenager, has long been the subject of widespread speculation and has been pursued by journalists seeking her story for two decades. She always denied that she is Thurmond's daughter.
"I want to bring closure to this," said Williams, who plans to hold a news conference Wednesday in Columbia, S.C. "It is a part of history." (snip)
(snip) Over the years, Thurmond had called the allegation that he fathered a mixed-race child
too unseemly to warrant comment. (snip/...)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60363-2003Dec12.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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