Tuesday, an aging black civil rights fighter and a white Northern liberal stood before 3,000 mourners and praised Strom Thurmond.

The speeches by U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., and S.C. Sen. Kay Patterson, D-Richland, could not have been imagined a half century ago -- or even 25 years ago.

Biden, 62, went to the U.S. Senate 30 years ago to fight for blacks' equal rights and to fight against segregationists, such as Thurmond used to be.

Patterson, 72, is a lifelong black civil rights activist known for firebrand speeches against segregationists and the Confederate flag.

From 1948 to 1972, Thurmond was a national segregationist leader in the fight to deny blacks equal rights. He wrongly described civil rights activists as "communist" inspired.

In the 1970s, Thurmond -- who died last week at the age of 100 -- changed.

And Biden and Patterson were testimony to that change.

Of all the speakers Tuesday at the First Baptist Church, Biden addressed the race question most fully. His talk was a highlight of the two-hour service.

Biden spoke bluntly about how wrong the white South and Thurmond were to wage a decades-long fight for segregation.

But Biden's anecdote-laden speech was so full of heartfelt affection and humor, that although his eulogy ran 12 minutes beyond his allotted five-minute time, most of those present listened in rapt attention.

Speaking almost on the spot where South Carolina secessionists first met in 1860, Biden recalled how Thurmond lived in three distinct American eras.

Thurmond was born, Biden said, when segregation was unchallenged, he came to maturity when segregation was "fully challenged" and found bankrupt, and he lived out "his final three decades in the South that had formally rejected its past on race."

"In each of these cases .‘.‘. Strom represented exactly where he came from. .‘.‘. Like all of us, Strom was a product of his times."

Biden said he came to the Senate "emboldened, angered and outraged at age 29 about the treatment of African-Americans in this country -- about everything for a period in his life Strom had represented."

Over the years, they became close friends. "I grew to know him, and looked into his heart, and I saw a man, a whole man, and I tried to understand him, I learned from him, and I watched him change-- oh, so subtly."

"Strom knew America was changing, and that there was a lot he didn't understand about that change. Much of that change challenged many of his long-held views, but he also saw his beloved South Carolina and the people of South Carolina changing as well.

"And he knew the time had come to change himself. But I believe that change came to him easily. I believe he welcomed it. Because I watched others of his era fight that change, and never, ultimately, change."

Patterson didn't speak of civil rights, or of the wrongs blacks suffered in the days of segregation.

Instead, he talked about the good Thurmond did for blacks in the last 30 years.

"I consider it a distinct honor and privilege to have been asked by the family to participate in the homegoing service of my political friend, J. Strom Thurmond," Patterson said.

Patterson said Thurmond helped keep historically black colleges in South Carolina open, and helped black constituents to resolve military and bureaucratic disputes.

"It was Strom that helped my constituents with drainage and sewer problems," Patterson said. "I want to thank the Lord that Strom passed this way."

Mayor Joe Riley of Charleston, a white Democrat and longtime civil rights supporter, said the importance of Patterson as eulogist was that it signifies "healing and a change of attitudes on the part of Thurmond. It is a very, very nice thing to have Patterson speaking."

Not everyone saw Thurmond's life as come full circle.

University of South Carolina historian Dan Carter, a nationally known civil rights expert, said although Thurmond changed his actions toward blacks, it would have benefited both races if Thurmond had ever publicly acknowledged his segregationist stances had been wrong.

"It's too bad that Strom Thurmond couldn't bring himself to do that," Carter said.

Thurmond mourners at the funeral said they appreciated all the speakers.

Tony Denny, who managed Thurmond's last race for Senate in 1996, said Biden's perspective was appreciated.

But Denny said he liked the sermon by the Rev. Fred Andrea, Thurmond's pastor, who said Thurmond's politics changed, but his character and values stayed the same throughout his life.

"That was part of the beauty of the service," Denny said. "You had different people from different perspectives praising a great man."