Thurmond's legacy already established

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Thurmond's history is the history of South Carolina during the 20th century, whether it was valor in war, struggles with racial issues or playing above the state's weight in the national political arena, they said.

The 100-year-old former senator died of multiple organ failure Thursday night in his hometown of Edgefield.

"Strom is inextricably linked to the fabric of American life, American history and African-American history," said Lewis Suggs, a professor of history at Clemson University. "That's the best thing you can say about him."

Part of Thurmond's legacy stands in history books: the oldest member of Congress; the longest-serving member of Congress; participant in D-Day; presidential candidate in 1948.

Thurmond's real legacy, according to Walter Edgar, a professor at the University of South Carolina and author of "South Carolina: A History," is the dramatic shift of the solid South from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

"He changed the American political landscape, whether you like it or not," Edgar said.

Edgar said Thurmond was senator for the entire lifetimes of half of South Carolina's residents.

David Shi, a historian and president of Furman University, said Thurmond's legacy is his longevity and his ability to change opinions and political beliefs over a storied career. "He is one of the most prominent examples of the ability of some Southern political leaders to adapt to changing circumstances and changing societal needs," Shi said.

His life's commitment to public service will continue through institutions such as Clemson University's Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs, which helps analyze and shape public policy.

Unlike "Pitchfork" Ben Tillman, John C. Calhoun, or other legendary South Carolina political figures, Thurmond never built a personal political machine to influence politics after their passing, said A.V. Huff, a history professor emeritus at Furman University.

There are also few landmark pieces of legislation that Thurmond passed in the Senate — such as putting warning labels on alcoholic beverages — so his legacy will always be legend and myth, Huff said.

"What he's best known for in the state are his constituent services, which were legendary," he said. "We're not likely to see that kind of service again."

That's at the national level. When he was governor, Edgar said Thurmond's legacy can be seen in most of the machinery of the current state government — groups such as the Budget and Control Board, a 12th grade in public schools and a nine-month school year.

"He ran as a reformist and an outsider against the government," he said. "He stood for a traditional South Carolina virtue: helping stand up for the people versus the government, whether it is the colonists versus the crown or the little people taking on the federal bureaucracy."

But in the end, Thurmond's long life reflected America's struggle with race, said Suggs, who studies black history.

"There's a great deal of hesitancy for African-Americans to accept Thurmond because of his past," Suggs said. "But they accepted his mantle of leadership because they needed him and they realized he was one of the most powerful people in the Senate."

South Carolinians need to reflect and respect Thurmond's long life, Shi said, but he warned the state about getting caught up in the legend.

"The elements of our political culture and economic future are so dynamic that the state can't afford to live in the shadow of anyone," he said. "His shaping of the political dynamic has already crystallized."