Strom Thurmond Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family
James Strom Thurmond (December 5, 1902 – June 26, 2003) was an American politician who served for 48 years as a United States Senator from South Carolina. He ran for president in 1948 as the States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes. Thurmond represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 until 2003, at first as a Democrat and, after 1964, as a Republican.Thurmond switched parties because of his opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, disaffection with the liberalism of the national party, and his support for the conservatism and opposition to the Civil Rights bill of the Republican presidential candidate Senator Barry Goldwater. He left office as the only member of either house of Congress to reach the age of 100 while still in office, and as the oldest-serving and longest-serving senator in U.S. history (although he was later surpassed in length of service by Robert Byrd and Daniel Inouye). Thurmond holds the record as the longest-serving member of Congress to serve exclusively in the Senate. He is also the longest-serving Republican member of Congress in U.S. history. At 14 years, he was also the longest-serving Dean of the United States Senate in U.S. history.In opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957, he conducted the longest filibuster ever by a lone senator, at 24 hours and 18 minutes in length, nonstop. In the 1960s, he opposed the civil rights legislation of 1964 and 1965 to end segregation and enforce the constitutional rights of African-American citizens, including suffrage. He always insisted he had never been a racist, but was opposed to excessive federal authority. He attributed the movement to practice constitutional rights to Communist agitators. In 1948, Thurmond stated:"all the laws of Washington and all the bayonets of the Army cannot force the Negro into our homes, into our schools, our churches and our places of recreation and amusement."Starting in the 1970s, he moderated his position on race, but continued to defend his early segregationist campaigns on the basis of states' rights in the context of Southern society at the time. He never fully renounced his earlier viewpoints.Six months after Thurmond died in 2003, his mixed-race, grown daughter Essie Mae Washington-Williams revealed that he was her father. Her mother Cassie Butler had been 16 years old and working as his family's maid when she became involved with Thurmond, who was 22. Although Thurmond never publicly acknowledged Essie Mae Washington, he paid for her education at a historically black college and passed other money to her for some time. She said that she kept silent out of respect for her father and denied that the two had agreed that she would not reveal her connection to Thurmond. His children by his marriage eventually acknowledged her. Her name has been added as one of his children to his memorial at the state capital.
Full Name
Strom Thurmond
Net Worth
$1.7 Million
Date Of Birth
December 5, 1902
Died
June 26, 2003, Edgefield, South Carolina, United States
Place Of Birth
Edgefield, South Carolina, USA
Profession
Lawyer, Teacher, Politician
Work Position
Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee
Education
Clemson University
Nationality
American
Spouse
Nancy Janice Moore, Jean Crouch
Children
Essie Mae Washington-Williams, Paul Reynolds Thurmond, Nancy Moore Thurmond, Juliana Gertrude Thurmond Whitmer, James Strom Thurmond Jr.
Parents
Eleanor Gertrude Strom, John William Thurmond
Siblings
Allen George Thurmond, Anna Gertrude Thurmond, Martha Evelyn Thurmond Bishop, John William Thurmond, Jr, Mary Thurmond Tompkins
Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, Legion of Merit, World War II Victory Medal, Croix de Guerre, European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Order of the Crown
Star Sign
Sagittarius
#
Fact
1
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 541-544. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.
2
Was the Governor of South Carolina from 1947-1951, and served as one of the United States Senators representing South Carolina from 1954 to April 1956 and November 1956 to January 2003.
3
Was elected to the United States Senate as a write-in candidate in 1954 on a platform supporting racial segregation. By the 1970s he had abandoned many of his policies, but never issued any formal apology or retraction.
4
Holds several longevity records for the United States Senate. At age 100, he became the oldest sitting senator, and holds the record for the longest senate term, at 47 years and 5 months. However, after being elected for a ninth term, Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia is set to surpass Thurmond's latter record in June 2007.
5
Had five children: Essie Mae Washington-Williams (b. October 12, 1925), Nancy Moore Thurmond (1971-1993), James Strom Thurmond Jr. (b. 1972), Juliana Gertrude Thurmond (b. 1974), and Paul Reynolds Thurmond (b. 1976). All except for Washington were born with Thurmond's second wife, Nancy Janice Moore. Washington, whose parentage was not acknowledged until after Strom Thurmond's death, was born with Carrie Butler, a 16-year-old African-American maid of Thurmond's family.
6
Was 43 years older than his second wife and former "Miss South Carolina", Nancy Janice Moore. When they married he was 66 and she was 23.
7
U.S. Senator from South Carolina (1954-1956, 1956-2003); president pro tempore of the Senate (1981-1987, 1995-2001). At age 100, he was the oldest person ever to serve in the Senate.
8
States' Rights (Dixiecrat) nominee for U.S. President in 1948.
9
Governor of South Carolina (1947-1951).
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
James Brown: The Man, the Music, & the Message
2008
Video documentary special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Mike Douglas Show
1979
TV Series
Himself - US Senator Thurmond
Archive Footage
Known for movies
The Mike Douglas Show 1979 as Himself - US Senator Thurmond
