A biography of the life of Senator Strom Thurmond, man of the 20th Century.
This paper examines the life and accomplishments and the controversies surrounding Strom Thurmond, the 100-year-old Senator who has lived through almost all of the 20th century and has played a part in its major events. It examines how he has been through 18 presidential administrations, was a teacher, an attorney, a soldier and a politician. He lived through the 1920s and the Great Depression and was a decorated soldier in World War II. Thurmond attributes his long life to abstinence from drinking and smoking, a low-fat diet, and a daily exercise regime. He had to give up jogging in his ’90s, though, because it was too hard on his joints!
In 1947, Thurmond ran for governor, beating 10 other candidates. His platform was progressive including a plank that called for equal-pay for equal work for women. As governor, he appointed the first African-American and the first woman to positions in state government. That year, he called secretary Jean Crouch into his office and had her take dictation: Your qualities have been appreciated by all of us here in the office and I know you will be greatly missed, however I must confess that I love you dearly and want you for my own. He then proposed and the two were married on November 7, 1947.