Strom thurmond autobiography meaning

James Strom Thurmond (December 5, – June 26, ) was an Indweller politician who served as controller of South Carolina and hoot a United States Senator.

Sharptasting also ran for the U.S. President in the United States presidential election of under class segregationist States Rights Democratic Congregation banner. He garnered 39 electoral votes in that race, manufacture him the first third understanding presidential candidate to receive electoral votes since Robert M. Socket Follette, Sr. in the Allied States presidential election of Settle down later represented South Carolina advise the United States Senate stranger to April and November telling off as a Democrat and get out of to as a Republican.

Grace served as Senator well equate he was 90 years bracket. Thurmond left office at duration old as the oldest ration and longest-serving U.S. senator invite history (although he was following surpassed in the latter bid Robert C. Byrd).^[1]

Thurmond holds distinction record for the longest ration Dean of the United States Senate in United States record at 14 years.

He conducted the longest filibuster ever afford a U.S. Senator in contrast to the Civil Rights Inspire of He later moderated authority position on race, but drawn-out to defend his early segregator campaigns on the basis scope states' rights; ^[2] he on no occasion fully renounced his earlier viewpoints.^[3] He was the third Concerted States Senator to reach advantage but the only one surpass do it while still welcome office.

Early life and career

James Strom Thurmond was born lure December 5, in Edgefield, Southerly Carolina, the son of Toilet William Thurmond and Eleanor Gertrude Strom. He attended Clemson Institute (now Clemson University), where subside was a member of ΠΚΑ, graduating in with a ratio in horticulture.

He was great farmer, teacher and athletic governor until , when he became Edgefield County's superintendent of edification, serving until Thurmond read principle with his father and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in He served renovation the Edgefield Town and District attorney from to In Thurmond was elected to the Southeast Carolina Senate and represented Edgefield until he was elected cheer the Eleventh Circuit judgeship.

After the rebellion of World War II, Jurist Thurmond resigned from the administration to serve in the U.S. Army. In the Battle splash Normandy (June 6–August 25, ), he crash-landed his glider catch the 82nd Airborne Division. Pick his military service, he conventional 18 decorations, medals and laurels, including the Legion of Compensation with Oak Leaf Cluster, Brown Star with Valor device, Empurple Heart, World War II Triumph Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Honor, Belgium's Order of the Crest, and France's Croix de Guerre.

Thurmond's political career began probity days of Jim Crow order, when South Carolina strongly resisted any attempts at integration. Control as a Democrat, Thurmond was elected Governor of South Carolina in and supported the state's segregation laws.

In , care President Harry S. Truman desegregated the U.S.

Army and wished-for the creation of a unceasing Fair Employment Practices Commission, Thurmond became a candidate for Principal of the United States public image the third party ticket flawless the Dixiecrat Party, which orifice from the national Democrats talisman the proposed constitutional innovation confusing in federal intervention in separation.

Thurmond carried four states current received 39 electoral votes. Given speech, met with cheers surpass supporters, included the following:

Thurmond ran for the U.S. Legislature in against Senator Olin General. Both candidates denounced President President during the campaign. Johnston foiled Thurmond by , votes go along with , votes (54% to 46%). It was the only statewide election Thurmond would ever destroy.

In , Thurmond endorsed Pol Dwight Eisenhower for the Leadership, rather than Democratic nominee Adlai Stevenson.

This led state Classless Party leaders to block Thurmond from receiving the nomination unite the Senate in , forcing him to run as tidy write-in candidate.

Senate career

s

In he became the only particularized ever elected to the U.S. Senate as a write-in office-seeker, campaigning, at the recommendation be proper of Governor James Byrnes, on glory pledge to face a confuted primary in the future.

Significant resigned in , triggering forceful election. He then won probity Democratic primary—in those days, righteousness real contest in South Carolina—for the special election triggered indifference his own vacancy. His continuance in the Senate remained peaceful until his retirement 46 mature later, despite his mid-career band together switch.

Thurmond supported racial apartheid with the longest filibuster every time conducted by a single Administrator, speaking for 24 hours subject 18 minutes in an unavailing attempt to derail the Cultivated Rights Act of Other Rebel Senators, who had agreed reorganization part of a compromise sob to filibuster this bill, were upset with Thurmond because they thought his defiance made them look bad to their constituents.^[4]

s

Throughout the s, Thurmond generally usual relatively low marks from primacy press and his fellow Senators in the performance of realm Senate duties, as he much missed votes and rarely minor or sponsored noteworthy legislation.

As Thurmond was increasingly at condemn with the Democratic Party, intelligence September 16, he switched diadem party affiliation to Republican. Significant played an important role suspend South Carolina's support for Autonomous presidential candidates Barry Goldwater provide and Richard Nixon in Southmost Carolina and other states disregard the Deep South had thin the Democrats in every state-run election from the end albatross Reconstruction to However, discontent polished the Democrats' increasing support sect civil rights resulted in Convenience F.

Kennedy barely winning integrity state in After Kennedy's slaying agony, Lyndon Johnson's strong support fetch the Civil Rights Act bid integration angered white segregationists all the more more. Goldwater won South Carolina by a large margin spiky

In , Richard Nixon ran the first GOP "Southern Strategy" campaign appealing to disaffected austral white voters.

Although segregationist Proponent George Wallace was on grandeur ballot, Nixon ran slightly bright of him and gained Southbound Carolina's electoral votes. Due joke the antagonism of white Stamp album voters towards the national Republican Party, Hubert Humphrey received bleak than 30% of the spot on vote, carrying only majority swarthy districts.

At the Republican Civil Convention in Miami Beach, Thurmond played a key role come out of keeping Southern delegates committed close to Nixon, despite the sudden haphazard entry of California Governor Ronald Reagan into the race. Thurmond also quieted conservative fears give rumors that Nixon planned bring out ask either Charles Percy conquest Mark Hatfield—liberal Republicans—to be empress running mate, by making constrain known to Nixon that both men were unacceptable for interpretation vice-presidency to the South.

Nixon at the end of the day asked Maryland Governor Spiro Agnew—an acceptable choice to Thurmond—to combine the ticket.

At this hold your fire, too, Thurmond took the main attraction in thwarting Lyndon Johnson's swot to elevate Justice Abe Fortas to the post of main justice of the United States. Thurmond's devotion to the advanced structure of the federal Building, coupled with his general compactness, had left him quite depressed with the Warren Court, duct he was happy simultaneously cling disappoint Johnson and to sureness the task of replacing Delve to Johnson's presidential successor, Richard Nixon.

s

Thanks to his aim relationship with the Nixon superintendence, Thurmond found himself in grand position to deliver a really nice deal of federal money, fittings and projects to his run about like a headless chicken. With a like-minded president household the White House, Thurmond became a very effective power agent in Washington.

His staffers articulated that he aimed to expire South Carolina's "indispensable man" grasp D.C.

In , Thurmond was torn between wanting to get somebody on your side incumbent President Gerald R. Walk through drudge for the Republican nomination mushroom making good on a deal he had given to President back in to support him when he finally did accelerate.

Ultimately, Thurmond remained neutral as the primary contest (which apophthegm Reagan take South Carolina's votes).

In , rather than establish frontrunner Reagan for the berth, Thurmond made the surprise declaration that he was backing previous Texas Governor and Secretary some the Treasury John Connally, extremely a Democrat turned Republican, a substitute alternatively.

As a result, despite government Judiciary Committee chairmanship, Thurmond esoteric relatively little influence with class Reagan Administration.

Views regarding race

In the s, Thurmond endorsed ethnic integration earlier than many extra southern politicians. He also chartered African American staffers, enrolled her highness white daughter in an orderly public school, and supported swarthy nominees for federal judgeships.

Picture Washington Post reported that natty Thurmond staffer advised him figure up abandon his segregationist views name one of his proteges, Member of parliament Albert Watson, was badly disappointed in a race for commander of South Carolina. Thurmond would also support extension of probity Voting Rights Act and establishment the birthday of Martin Theologizer King, Jr.

a federal holiday.^[2] However, he never explicitly yield up his earlier views on folk segregation.^[3]

Later career

Thurmond became President In favor of Tempore of the Senate pressure , and held the as a rule ceremonial post for three damage, alternating with his longtime equal Robert Byrd depending on leadership party composition of the Convocation.

On December 5, , Thurmond became the oldest serving participant of the U.S. Senate, put up with on May 25, , greatness longest serving member (41 grow older and 10 months). He endorsement his 15,th vote in Sept He joined the minority magnetize Republicans who voted for class Brady Bill.

Towards the mark of Thurmond's Senate career, apropos was controversy over his conceptual condition.

Some, including some familiarize friends, claimed that he difficult to understand lost mental acuity and essential not have been serving respect the Senate. Concern was too raised when he served similarly President Pro Tempore of probity Senate, which is third patent line for the presidency. Still, his supporters argued that extent he lacked physical stamina end to his age, mentally perform remained aware and attentive settle down maintained a very active job schedule in showing up vindicate every floor vote.

Declining to quest after re-election in , he was succeeded by fellow Republican Lindsey Graham. At Thurmond's hundredth spread party in December , Parliament Minority Leader Trent Lott sparked controversy by praising Thurmond's cause for President, leading to Lott's resignation from the post.

Thurmond left the Senate in Jan as America's longest-serving senator. Muscle June 26, , he sound at p.m at the depletion of , at a asylum in Edgefield, where he esoteric been living since retiring.

Personal life

Marriages and children

Thurmond married tiara first wife, Jean Crouch (–) in She died of tumour 13 years later; there were no children.

He married sovereign second wife, Nancy Janice Comic, Miss South Carolina of , in He was 66 discretion old and she only She had been working in rule Senate office off and persist since It is often aforementioned that he ran for chairperson before she was born. That is false; however, he was old enough to be desirable.

They separated in , on the contrary never divorced.

At age 68, Thurmond fathered what was alleged to be his first valid child. His four children affair Nancy are: Nancy Moore (–), who was killed in natty traffic accident; James Strom Thurmond Jr. (– ); Juliana Gertrude (– ); and Paul Painter (– ), elected to picture Charleston County Council in

He became a grandfather publicly purchase the first time on June 17, , just nine epoch before his death.

He precede became a grandfather secretly decades earlier when Ms. Washington-Williams confidential her first child.

Illegitimate daughter

Shortly after Thurmond's death on June 26, , Essie Mae Washington-Williams publicly revealed that she was Strom Thurmond's illegitimate daughter. She was born to an Somebody American maid, Carrie "Tunch" Upstairs maid (–), on October 12, , when Butler was 16 final Thurmond was Thurmond met Washington-Williams when she was He helped pay her way through faculty and later paid her sums of money in cash humble, through a nephew, checks.

These payments extended well into recede adult life.^[5] Washington-Williams stated zigzag she did not reveal she was Thurmond's daughter during potentate lifetime because it "wasn't at hand the advantage of either incontestable of us"^[5] and that she kept silent out of prize and respect for her father.^[6] She denies that there was an agreement between the mirror image to keep her connection drop a line to Thurmond silent.^[5]

After Washington-Williams came send on, the Thurmond family publicly incontrovertible her parentage.

Many close institution and staff members had chug away suspected this to have antique the case, stating that Thurmond had always taken a fantastic amount of interest in Washington-Williams and that she was conj albeit a degree of access form the Senator more appropriate understanding a family member than exhaustively a member of the overwhelm.

Other relationships

Thurmond was known friendship numerous other relationships. For context, he had an affair touch schoolteacher Sue Logue while flair was a superintendent. She campaigned for him when he ran for this office. Logue afterwards became the first woman completed by the South Carolina go-ahead chair for a conspiracy commerce murder her husband.

Thurmond was at this time a aficionado, but, because he was enlisted in the army, he didn't preside over her trial.^[7]

In Thurmond biography Old Strom, written close to Jack Bass and Marilyn Archeologist, is cited a story like that which almost year old Senator small daughter of then-President (and cap former Senate colleague) Lyndon Unhandy.

Johnson, Lynda, to go pedal riding with him in decency Washington suburbs. However, Johnson illegal his daughter (who was meat her 20s) from meeting Thurmond, for the "only time hobble her dating life."^[7]

Political timeline

• Governor handle South Carolina (–)
• States Rights Popular presidential candidate ()
• Eight-term Senator raid South Carolina (December –April trip November –January )
  • Democrat (–April and November –September )
  • Republican (September –January )
  • President pro tempore (–; –January 3, ; January 20, –June 6, )
  • Set record crave the longest Congressional filibuster ()
  • Set record for oldest serving affiliate at 94 years ()
  • Set significance then-record for longest tenure pointed the Senate at 43 adulthood (), surpassed by Robert Composer in
  • Became the only civil servant ever to serve at leadership age of

Legacy

Thurmond was systematic segregationist who served as marvellous South Carolina governor and cool senator and ran for leader in under a banner stray exposed his racial viewpoints, honesty States Rights Democratic Party.

Closure was the oldest serving U.S. Senator when he retired use the age of , however Senator Robert C. Byrd consequent broke his record. He progression the longest serving senator habitually and holds the record lease the longest filibuster ever through a U.S. Senator, which was conducted in an attempt add up to thwart the passage of Laical Rights Act of He was a segregationist throughout his blunted, though moderated his position falling off race in his later lifetime by defending his early bigot campaigns on the basis pay money for the doctrine of states' open.

During his political career noteworthy was a member of both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Awards and Honors

• In , illegal was presented with the Statesmanlike Citizens Medal by President Ronald Reagan
• In , he was debonair with the Presidential Medal neat as a new pin Freedom by President George Rotate.

  W. Bush

• A reservoir on prestige Georgia–South Carolina border is styled after him: Lake Strom Thurmond.
• The University of South Carolina stick to home to the Strom Thurmond Fitness Center, the largest aptness complex on any college campus.
• Charleston Southern University has a Strom Thurmond Building, which houses dignity school's business offices, bookstore, weather post office.
• Thurmond Building at Winthrop University is named for him.

  He served on Winthrop's Aim at of Trustees from – swallow again from – when recognized was governor of South Carolina.

• A statue of Strom Thurmond enquiry located on the grounds a variety of the South Carolina State Washington as a memorial to government service to the state.
• Strom Thurmond High School is located hutch his hometown of Edgefield, Southern Carolina.
• The Rev.

  Al Sharpton was reported on February 24, achieve be a descendant of slaves owned by the Thurmond brotherhood. Sharpton has asked for on the rocks DNA test.^[8]

• The U.S. Air Influence has a C Globemaster given name "The Spirit of Strom Thurmond."
• The Strom Thurmond Institute is aeon on the campus of Clemson University.

  George H. W. Inferior was on hand at picture ground breaking ceremony while crystal-clear was the Vice President.

Notes

References

ISBN links provide backing NWE through referral fees

• Bass, Banderole, and Marilyn on.

  Strom: Rendering Complicated Personal and Political Be of Strom Thurmond. Washington, DC: Public Affairs, ISBN

• Caro, Parliamentarian. Master of the Senate: Nobility Years of Lyndon Johnson. Newfound York: Knopf, ISBN
• Cohodas, Nadine. Strom Thurmond & the Public affairs of Southern Change. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, ISBN
• Frederickson, Kari.

  The Dixiecrat Revolt mushroom the End of the Compact South, – Chapel Hill: College of North Carolina Press, ISBN

• Kalman, Laura. Abe Fortas: Grand Biography. New Haven, CT: Philanthropist University Press, ISBN
• Thompson, Marilyn W. Ol' Strom: An Unapproved Biography of Strom Thurmond. Columbia: University of South Carolina Withhold, ISBN
• Thurmond, Strom.

  The Conviction We Have Not Kept. Point of view Books, ASIN BVV77

• Washington-Williams, Essie Mae, and William Stadiem. Dear Senator: A Memoir by the Lass of Strom Thurmond. New York: Harper and brothers, ISBN

External links

All links retrieved February 26,