Columbia, S.C. ? The name of Strom Thurmond’s biracial daughter was added Thursday to his monument on the Statehouse grounds — further public acknowledgment of what had once been a closely held secret.

It took two hours to engrave “Essie Mae” under the names of the late senator’s four children with his second wife, Nancy.

“We are excited to no end, and we are so grateful that it moves one to tears of joy and gratitude,” said Frank Wheaton, attorney for Essie Mae Washington-Williams.