After Thurmond's death, it was revealed that he had fathered a child with an [[African American]] woman. The woman he fathered the child with was a servant in the Thurmond family household. She was 16 and Thurmond was 22. Thurmond's affair with a sixteen year old would have qualified him as a sex offender under state law. Thurmond and the child did not meet until she was 16 years old and she was unaware of the fact he was her father until that time. After that meeting, Thurmond did take more interest in her life and provided her with financial help. His now 71 year old daughter spoke affectionately of her father. | After Thurmond's death, it was revealed that he had fathered a child with an [[African American]] woman. The woman he fathered the child with was a servant in the Thurmond family household. She was 16 and Thurmond was 22. Thurmond's affair with a sixteen year old would have qualified him as a sex offender under state law. Thurmond and the child did not meet until she was 16 years old and she was unaware of the fact he was her father until that time. After that meeting, Thurmond did take more interest in her life and provided her with financial help. His now 71 year old daughter spoke affectionately of her father. |