When I packed DearSenator: A Memoir by the Daughter of Strom Thurmond in my backpack for a
recent trip from Charlotte to Los Angeles, I had no idea that my journey west
would replicate one that Essie Mae Washington-Williams took sixty years ago.
But the replication process, although interesting and
similar, was one of geography only. My trip wasn’t to find a home that would
provide racial equality for my children and myself.
similar, was one of geography only. My trip wasn’t to find a home that would
provide racial equality for my children and myself.
Essie Mae’s was.
But I am beginning in the middle of her story. Using quotes
from her autobiography, I plan to share her journey over the course of the next few blog posts. As my faithful blog readers know, I am reading
books with a multi-racial theme to provide authenticity to my work in progress,
Half-Truths. If you are interested, previous
books reviews can be found at that link.
from her autobiography, I plan to share her journey over the course of the next few blog posts. As my faithful blog readers know, I am reading
books with a multi-racial theme to provide authenticity to my work in progress,
Half-Truths. If you are interested, previous
books reviews can be found at that link.
Essie Mae grew up in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, a small
steel town forty miles west of Philadelphia. As 12 she accepted Christ and
remembered,
steel town forty miles west of Philadelphia. As 12 she accepted Christ and
remembered,
The Bible was all
white, but so were the movies. I loved them both. The whiteness I just
accepted, just like a lot of other things. Acceptance was our way of life, as
there didn’t seem to be much point, or hope, of trying to change the system.
p. 7
white, but so were the movies. I loved them both. The whiteness I just
accepted, just like a lot of other things. Acceptance was our way of life, as
there didn’t seem to be much point, or hope, of trying to change the system.
p. 7
Soon after, her life was inalterably changed. A dark-skinned
beautiful woman (Carrie) came to visit and announced that she was Essie Mae’s
mother. It turned out that Mary, the
woman who had raised her, was really her aunt. Carrie left before Essie Mae could
ask who her father was.
beautiful woman (Carrie) came to visit and announced that she was Essie Mae’s
mother. It turned out that Mary, the
woman who had raised her, was really her aunt. Carrie left before Essie Mae could
ask who her father was.
She found out several years later.
Accompanied by Mary and Carrie, Essie Mae travelled to
Edgefield, South Carolina for a funeral. Days later, Mary dressed her up and
took her to meet her father- a rich white lawyer named Strom Thurmond. After an
hour filled with Thurmond’s history lectures and admonitions that Essie Mae
“study hard,” Thurmond told Carrie:
Edgefield, South Carolina for a funeral. Days later, Mary dressed her up and
took her to meet her father- a rich white lawyer named Strom Thurmond. After an
hour filled with Thurmond’s history lectures and admonitions that Essie Mae
“study hard,” Thurmond told Carrie:
“You have a lovely
daughter.” It was a kind thought, but inside it hurt me. I would have liked to
have heard him say, “We have a lovely daughter.”… He never called my mother by
her first name. He didn’t verbally
acknowledge that I was his child…It was like an audience with an important man,
a job interview, but not a reunion with a father.” p. 39
daughter.” It was a kind thought, but inside it hurt me. I would have liked to
have heard him say, “We have a lovely daughter.”… He never called my mother by
her first name. He didn’t verbally
acknowledge that I was his child…It was like an audience with an important man,
a job interview, but not a reunion with a father.” p. 39
That first meeting foreshadowed Thurmond’s sincere interest in
Essie Mae as well as her unquenchable desire to be acknowledged as his
daughter. After the meeting, Essie Mae
learned the story of her parents’ encounter at young Strom’s home. He was 23, home from Clemson University and
teaching high school. She was a fifteen-year-old domestic who he and his
brothers flirted with. Carrie’s explanation of “How did it happen?” was short
and to the point: “Love finds a way, darling.”
Essie Mae as well as her unquenchable desire to be acknowledged as his
daughter. After the meeting, Essie Mae
learned the story of her parents’ encounter at young Strom’s home. He was 23, home from Clemson University and
teaching high school. She was a fifteen-year-old domestic who he and his
brothers flirted with. Carrie’s explanation of “How did it happen?” was short
and to the point: “Love finds a way, darling.”
Although Carrie felt as if Strom loved her, the deep racism of the Jim Crow
South along with his family’s prominence, dictated that they keep their
relationship a secret. Essie Mae deduced that her parents continued to find
time and ways to be together, but as she grew up, he chose to visit her apart
from her mother.
South along with his family’s prominence, dictated that they keep their
relationship a secret. Essie Mae deduced that her parents continued to find
time and ways to be together, but as she grew up, he chose to visit her apart
from her mother.
Like other teenagers, Essie Mae’s adolescence was filled
with identity issues, but hers was compounded by the ups and downs of her mixed-race
parentage.
with identity issues, but hers was compounded by the ups and downs of her mixed-race
parentage.
In my darkest hours I
began to look at all black people as victims and white people as oppressors,
and everything in America struck me as grossly unfair. In my brightest hours I
began to look at myself as someone very special, an amalgam of all that was
great about America. I had a brilliant white father and a beautiful black
mother; was I not the golden child? Alas, the real Essie Mae fell somewhere
between these two poles. I was too humble to be conceited, to meek to be a firebrand.
My mantra was “accept,” and accept I did at least outwardly. Yet inside me was
pure turbulence. (p.45)
began to look at all black people as victims and white people as oppressors,
and everything in America struck me as grossly unfair. In my brightest hours I
began to look at myself as someone very special, an amalgam of all that was
great about America. I had a brilliant white father and a beautiful black
mother; was I not the golden child? Alas, the real Essie Mae fell somewhere
between these two poles. I was too humble to be conceited, to meek to be a firebrand.
My mantra was “accept,” and accept I did at least outwardly. Yet inside me was
pure turbulence. (p.45)
Next week I’ll continue to highlight Essie Mae’s life journey.
You've got me hooked, Carol. Can't wait until next installment.
Carol,I enjoy hearing about the books you read for your research. I look forward to the posts to come.
Wow! Thanks for sharing that, Carol. Terrific recap and insights.
Glad you all are hooked! Stay tuned until next week and thanks for commenting. Carol
It touches your heart when one is not accepted openly by the father. Good thing that our heavenly father fully accepts and claims us for his own.Thanks for sharing about Essie Mae.Celebrate youNever Give UpJoan Y. Edwards
Thank you, Joan. Yes, that is the comfort of the believer.
You've got me hooked, Carol. Can't wait until next installment.
Carol,I enjoy hearing about the books you read for your research. I look forward to the posts to come.
Wow! Thanks for sharing that, Carol. Terrific recap and insights.
Glad you all are hooked! Stay tuned until next week and thanks for commenting. Carol
It touches your heart when one is not accepted openly by the father. Good thing that our heavenly father fully accepts and claims us for his own.Thanks for sharing about Essie Mae.Celebrate youNever Give UpJoan Y. Edwards
Thank you, Joan. Yes, that is the comfort of the believer.