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Woman Claims Thurmond As Father -- Proof Forthcoming, Black Retiree Says
The Washington Post ^
| December 14, 2003
| Marilyn W. Thompson
Posted on 12/13/2003 10:45:09 AM PST by aculeus
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: stromthurmond
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1
posted on
12/13/2003 10:45:10 AM PST
by
aculeus
To: aculeus
What's the point? Strom was a honky?
I don't get it.
To: George W. Bush
Somebody wants money?
3
posted on
12/13/2003 10:56:41 AM PST
by
JimRic54
To: George W. Bush
" Strom was a honky?"So was Thomas Jefferson. Both red-headed honkies.
4
posted on
12/13/2003 10:57:03 AM PST
by
billorites
(freepo ergo sum)
To: aculeus
Bill Clinton is cringing right now.
To: aculeus
I wonder if, after he is passed on, the press will ever refer to Robert KKK Byrd as "once a leading segregationist."
6
posted on
12/13/2003 11:01:43 AM PST
by
Andyman
To: billorites
No, the Jefferson bit was disproved. It was one of his relatives that fathered those children of slave women. But, of course, they still include the descendants of that other Jefferson in public ceremonies and pretend they were descended from T.J. anyway.
More P.C. lies. The usual.
To: aculeus
U.S. senator James Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.), once the nation's leading segregationist.Isn't this a bit of an overstatement?
(Segregation is wrong. I am totally against it. I am not defending Thurmond's ancient view, but I am not aware he was ever defined as "the nation's leading segregationist". I can't wait for the next WaPo article that refers to Robert Byrd. I'm sure they'll remind us of his former activities. Or maybe they'll decide "he changed" and deem it not worthy of mentioning at this late date...)
8
posted on
12/13/2003 11:03:32 AM PST
by
cyncooper
("The evil is in plain sight")
To: billorites; dixie sass
Washington-Williams
Now that would be a name to put on the back of an NFL jersey. Maybe W-Squared for short... Old Strom got around didnt he?
9
posted on
12/13/2003 11:03:33 AM PST
by
doosee
To: George W. Bush
It wasn't actually disproved. We know that the father of at least one of Sally Hemmings' children was either Jefferson, his nephew or his brother (or is it cousin?). Historians have long believed it was the nephew. The history of this accusation and how it keeps being resurrected is fascinating. Of course, these days it's just about Clintonian resurrection and further attempts to denigrate any and all Founding Fathers.
To: George W. Bush
Um, not this has not been "disproved." If you look at a recent issue of the William & Mary Quarterly---merely the journal of colonial and early American history---you'll see that the debate is quite hot. I definitely wouldn't say the Sally Hemmings people have won, but they are much closer than they were 20 years ago, and, as best as I can keep up with the developments, without question "a" Jefferson fathered one of the Hemmings kids. The question is, which Jefferson?
11
posted on
12/13/2003 11:12:53 AM PST
by
LS
To: George W. Bush
the Jefferson bit was disproved. It was one of his relatives that fathered those children of slave women.Would you direct me to your source, please? I had not heard the disproval.
12
posted on
12/13/2003 11:19:36 AM PST
by
GretchenEE
(God's grace is strongest where I am weakest.)
To: George W. Bush
The story was not disproved. Historians simply said it was not proved by the DNA. They did acknowledge that several of Hemmings children were Jeffersons. There is just not enough evidence either way.
To: JimRic54
Somebody wants money? Uh, she already has money, since Strom was providing for her support since '41.
14
posted on
12/13/2003 11:21:33 AM PST
by
ServesURight
(FReecerely Yours,)
To: LS
"I definitely wouldn't say the Sally Hemmings people have won, but they are much closer than they were 20 years ago, and, as best as I can keep up with the developments, without question "a" Jefferson fathered one of the Hemmings kids. The question is, which Jefferson?" That's pretty much my take on the situation too. I read a report last week that stated that most African-Americans are 25% Caucasian...someone was doing something way back when.
15
posted on
12/13/2003 11:21:52 AM PST
by
blam
To: aculeus
Can one get DNA from dust?
To: aculeus
It's about MONEY....MONEY.....MONEY.......
17
posted on
12/13/2003 11:30:00 AM PST
by
OldFriend
(DEMS INHABIT A PARALLEL UNIVERSE)
To: blam
That's pretty much my take on the situation too. I read a report last week that stated that most African-Americans are 25% Caucasian...someone was doing something way back whenAnyone looking at a random sampling of American Blacks -vs- a random sampling of West Africans will immediately recognize a significant difference. American Blacks are primarily a mixture of African, Caucasian, Native American and some Hispanic.
18
posted on
12/13/2003 11:32:07 AM PST
by
fso301
To: LS; AmishDude; George W. Bush
as best as I can keep up with the developments, without question "a" Jefferson fathered one of the Hemmings kids. The question is, which Jefferson? . . . and as I understand it, the one "Hemmings kid" evidently fathered by a Jefferson was conceived after Thomas Jefferson had returned from Europe--and after TJ been accused of fathering older Hemmings kids. Which charges the DNA tests now indicate were not correct. And after TJ was older than he had been when he apparently had not been intimate with Hemmings.
One can certainly understand a desire of a decendant of "a" Jefferson to believe him/herself to be a decendant of "the" Jefferson. And the incentive of the race hustlers to promote that view is no less patent.
But IMHO delegitimating the writings of TJ--the Declaration of Independence being chief among them--is a deeply unpatriotic project. But then, it was convenient at the time for x42 . . .
To: conservatism_IS_compassion
Either way, the folks made out. Proving or disproving doesn't matter AND everyone knew it from the start.
20
posted on
12/13/2003 11:55:09 AM PST
by
Sacajaweau
(God Bless Our Troops!!)
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