February 6, 2013 The Portland observer Black History Month Segregationist Senator’s Secret Daughter Dies Woman waited decades to reveal her parentage (A P) — E ssie M ae W ash in g ­ to n - W illia m s , th e m ix e d - r a c e d aughter o f one-tim e seg reg atio n ­ ist Sen. Strom T hurm ond w ho kept h er parentage secret for m ore than 70 years, has died. She w as 87. V ann D ozier o f L e e v y ’s F uneral H om e in C olum bia said W ash in g ­ ton-W illiam s died Sunday. A cause o f death w as not given. W ashin g to n -W illiam s w as the d a u g h te r o f T h u rm o n d an d his fam ily's black m aid. T he identity o f h er fam ous fath er w as rum o red for decades in political circles and the black com m unity. She later said she kept his secret because, “H e trusted m e, and I respected h im .” N ot until after T hurm ond ’ s death in 2003 at age 100 did W ash in g ­ to n -W illiam s co m e fo rw ard and say h er father w as the w hite m an w ho ran for president on a seg reg a­ tionist platform and served in the U .S. Senate for m ore than 47 years. “ I am E ssie M ae W ashington- W illiam s, and at last I am com - EssLe Mae Washington-Williams p le te ly fre e ,” W a s h in g to n -W ill­ iam s said at a new s co n feren ce revealing h er secret. S h e w as b o rn in 1925 a fte r T h u rm ond, then 22, had an affair w ith a 16-year-old b lack m aid w ho w orked in his fam ily's E dgefield, S.C ., hom e. She spent years as a sch o o l te a c h e r in L os A n g eles, k eeping in touch w ith h e r fam ous fath er. W hile T h u rm o n d n ev er publicly a c k n o w le d g e d his d a u g h ter, his fam ily a c k n o w le d g e d h e r c laim after she cam e forw ard. She later said T h u rm o n d ’s w idow , N ancy, w as “a very w onderful p erso n ,” and called Strom T h u rm o n d Jr. “very carin g , an d in terested in w h a t’s going on w ith m e.” W a s h in g to n - W illi a m s w a s Page 23 BUDGET INSURANCE "Your Budget is our Budget" AUTO At Budget we work with many raised by M ary and John W ash in g ­ ton in C oatesville, Pa. W hen she w as 13, M ary W ashington's sister, C arrie B utler, told E ssie M ae that she w as h er m other. W a s h in g to n - W illia m s m et T hurm ond fo r the first tim e a few y e a rs la te r in a law o ff ic e in T h u r m o n d ’s h o m e to w n of E dgefield. “ H e n ev er called my m o th er by h er nam e. H e d id n ’t verbally ac­ know ledge that 1 w as his ch ild ,” W ashington-W illiam s w rote in her autobiography, “D ear Senator: A M em o ir by the D au g h ter o f Strom T hurm ond.” “H e d id n ’t ask w hen I w as leav­ ing and d id n ’t invite m e to com e back. It w as like an audience w ith an im portant m an, a jo b interview , but not a reunion w ith a fath er,” she said in the book released January 2005. It w as the first o f m any visits b e tw e e n W a s h in g to n -W illia m s and h er father. H e supported her, paying for h er to attend then-South C aro lin a State C ollege at the sam e tim e T h urm ond Was governor. H e also h elp ed her later after she w as w idow ed in the 19 6 0 s. HOME insurance com­ panies to find LIFE the best fit for your needs and to fit your Budget. DURANBEASLEY Call today for a free quote! 503 515 4377 BUSINESS HEALTH SR 22 Fax 503 445 4591 Office 503 445 4595 3202 SE 82nd Ave Portland, OR 97266 An independent agent serving Oregon & Washington Sts Brendan & Bridgid Catholic Mission An Open, Inclusive & Ecumenical Community diversity Print Established in 19*0 Volume XXXX. Number 13 Wednesday • Maith Jl. 2OK) Wednesday • Maith Jl. 20«) ■/ jJJortlanu (I 'bseruev H ousing A dvertise with diversity in M ass E v ery S unday 2:00 P M A ll are in cluded w ith o u t exception! w w w .cath o licsw ith ad ifferen ce.co m 11 ,v P o rtla n d O bse rv er Call 503-288-0033 T erry F amily F uneral H ome Special Edition S«* Imide. p«e*t 4-5 XñyofR»««' years* 'z jx ' 2337 N. Williams Ave. Portland, Or 97227 503-249-1788 ' •'« n » mutiin .«unit* Canm/tted ftt Cutout.tf Y oung, B la c k G ifte d We make the service personal, You make the tribute personal. Recognizing kids on right track Every tim e w e a r r a n g e a p e rso n a liz e d fu n e ra l service, w e tak e special p rid e g o in g th e e x tra m ile. W ith o u r o n lin e M em o rial O b itu ary , n o w w e c a n d o even m ore. T u F > *n ib « rn T » -j« A Am «« ito ud K -n ef « « K « w n tiu X m * M - te *« r« - p * v - M h rt v.-w b b ru f e m r « . KknH «t?-4aiMM « r t»M iufb p . u m i»« « « v « te «a 'i d te p tlh ad» « * « . btrn u- A u«« a < * » i ■» m t* a )* (h fe r d city | »CW -toJ«»i« tnbm* Ih !f c ct b r* aa i d < » « o » d n . «f ut b« ■*••«*« m . t N b A C p ite pu -r» n»«» te lb M « c M lom teh d a ." w« t » bq not b-trim f t? m A mr F riends a n d fam ily c a n fin d o u t service in fo rm atio n , view photos, re a d o b itu a ry , I o tu n t nt m 4 o r d e r flo w ers a n d leave p e rso n a l m essages o f co n d o len ce s fro m a n y w h e re , an y tim e. i H w «M om «il \l n S im p ly go to o u r w e b site . Aprii 5 M fcfcnol IhMTkt br»dq«artKi« «t M I H. tM««i Si an!| !««•» bc me. co io ritc (lo rd < r u r . MMl TW p r . ^ i » ite bn:a OttM tote» W ttm m , 4M www.terryfamilyfuneralhome.com *•«* «br m < n il» «tc, «rtrr « crm tiraM w »-tt, »nmrtm. wbf> m m o , te«Kcd • ««■ «bc m A fK ta AffwrKMi>u4r*tituM«Mt>c<*«ina Afcftfcom» ' co«dm uw worried (I m i r f ih« anemie« »ab a «-«il te immumuom>^bU.b «ttMcm» 4m«f ««» t e l- u l »Ma.ami ibr r.vr.aracm o f a H w r j t . M . ' .od -e b Atvciopm SbvlaiHob » freabmaar. i«m«r*n«Hi«bMa»4 » . w M iSr I » «utSm* ». ibr «kMbtt H M itp r" A 'ta w in «MM-Irnm M rapita» datar* umylu «mm iwm ni Sm t«».*iie tembm, amt cfccaaia»-) « aohmg «teaAiy IM b pt«** io « • w> «HWp« ami 1« teak-av «bum b » «chool ita lw .’ t e t e . H k ' bipb a-bou, “U t e "Dedicated to providing excellent service and superior care o f your loved one " «*» ■ n ► u» M «. » d M itontO C o m « r* A d kX Sr#»« rmrroM Jm Tm « iM uth te Tiw tori Rm m n a «*(ten»« n» M 4 to tembauanms «r» Potilana. H tt mt o tv * The Portland Observer Call 503-288-0033 or email ads@portlandobserver.com D w ight A. T erry Oregon License CO-3644 A m y S. T erry O regon License FS-0395