Essie Mae Washington-Williams is the biracial daughter of the late South Carolina Senator and former segregationist Strom Thurmond. When Thurmond was 22, he had an affair with Washington-Williams's mother, then 16, who performed housework for the Thurmond family. Washington-Williams did not come forward about her parentage until after the death of Thurmond in 2003 at the age of 100.60 Minutes: Essie Mae Interview with Dan Rather About Strom Thurmond (December 17, 2003)

• "It wasn't to my advantage to talk about anything that he had done. It certainly wasn't to either advantage of either one of us. And he, of course, didn't want it to be known -- neither did I. I didn't want it to be known either."60 Minutes: Essie Mae Interview with Dan Rather About Strom Thurmond (December 17, 2003)

• "I liked him very much. I was not around him. Remember, I only saw him about once a year. So, I didn't feel that close relationship that you normally would with a parent. But, I knew that he cared about me. And he was very good to me. And I would not have done anything to hurt him."60 Minutes: Essie Mae Interview with Dan Rather About Strom Thurmond (December 17, 2003)