Dear Senator by Essie Mae Washington
Reviewed by Vicki Carver
Strom Thurmond was a well-known political figure in the United States during the twentieth century. His life of more than 100 years spanned from 1902 to 2003. He was the governor of South Carolina in the late 1940’s and a famous senator after that. What was unknown about Thurmond during his life was the existence of a daughter, Essie Mae Washington, who was born in 1925. Essie Mae ‘s black mother, Carrie Butler, had been a 15 year-old maid at the Thurmond family’s plantation in South Carolina. 23-year-old Strom Thurmond had become a lawyer and was beginning a law practice in his hometown of Edgefield. Essie Mae first met her father in 1942 when she was 17 and from that time on Thurmond had a profound influence on her life. He did not permit any public meetings with his daughter but did meet with her occasionally in a private setting. Thurmond showed interest in his daughter as far as her health and academic pursuits were concerned. He rarely showed any emotion in terms of how he felt about her as a father. Thurmond’s financial support of Essie Mae enabled her to attend college where she met her future husband, Julius Williams. Essie Mae and Julius eventually married and had four children. The Williams eventually settled in Los Angeles and Julius was able to find employment. However, Thurmond’s financial support enabled the family to eventually buy a lovely home and pursue their educational pursuits. Essie Mae eventually became involved in education and worked for the Los Angeles Public School system for 27 years. Essie Mae was very careful about keeping her father’s identity a secret. She questioned Thurmond’s beliefs in segregation even though her encouraged advancement in jobs and education for Blacks. The two discussed their beliefs and Essie Mae believes she eventually had an impact on her father’s political views. After Thurmond died in 2003 Essie Mae decided to “go public” about her connection to Thurmond. Dear Senator was a result of her revelation. This book is interesting reading for anyone interested in the years from the mid-1940’s to the present time.