FIRST BLACK SEXTUPLETS FINALLY GET SUPPORT AFTER BLACK PROTEST CAMPAIGN IN AMERIKKKA!

1. 1. S First Black Sextuplets Belatedly Win Public Notice By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE Published: January 08, 1998 If it had not been for the McCaugheys, the Iowa family who made medical history with the November birth of septuplets, all of whom survived, the world might not have known about Linden and Jacqueline Thompson. Then again, because of the McCaugheys, much of the world may never know about the Thompsons. The Thompsons, who live here, were the first black family in the United States to have sextuplets. That was May 8. But hardly anyone noticed. Almost seven months later, after an eye-popping avalanche of money, corporate donations and blanket news coverage for the McCaugheys, black people began pointing out that the Thompsons, too, had made history and needed help. Now the Thompsons, who live in a cramped, three-bedroom apartment, are afloat in a bounty of giving that ranges from matching Santa suits for their five surviving children to a new house and guaranteed college scholarships. They had to rent a storage shed for the overflow. ''I have no hard feelings,'' Mrs. Thompson said on Monday. ''It's better late than never.'' Ads by Google While the contrast in the attention received by the two families is clear, the reasons for it are murkier. Some African-Americans believe the difference is at least partly attributable to race -- the McCaugheys are white and the Thompsons are black. But others say the disparity is simply attributable to the increase in multiple births. While the McCaugheys are the only couple with septuplets, the National Center for Health Statistics says that in 1995, the last year for which numbers are available, Americans gave birth to 365 sets of quadruplets and 57 sets of quintuplets, sextuplets or more. There may also be a more subtle explanation: There is a delicate interplay of conflicting impulses at work for those who have been spared the burden of publicity but denied the benefits. While knowing that expenses loom, they are reluctant to appear greedy or incapable of handling their own affairs. And, as in the case of the Thompsons, who lost one child, grief can dilute their happiness and make them less likely to trumpet their joy. Some parents may also hesitate to come forward in light of criticism of the McCaugheys for having so many children at once. ''Some people feel that these people made their bed, now they can lie in it,'' said Janet Bleyl, president of the Triplet Connection in Stockton, Calif., a support group for parents. Mrs. Thompson, who declines to say whether she took fertility drugs, said she had mixed emotions about being ignored. ''Once the media gets on your back, it's nonstop,'' she said as her five babies squirmed on a quilt on the living room floor. ''At the same time, I prayed that someone would know.'' After Mrs. Thompson, a waitress, gave birth, the family held a brief news conference. Some local support materialized, but not much, and Mr. Thompson returned to his job as an electrician. Then on Nov. 19, every step in the McCaughey drama became front-page news around the world. The McCaugheys received college scholarships, a van, a lifetime supply of diapers, car seats, strollers, groceries, seven years of free cable TV and an invitation to the White House. The outpouring for the McCaugheys prompted a call about the Thompsons to the ''Tom Joyner Show,'' a nationally syndicated talk-radio program in Dallas with a largely black audience. The caller said the Thompsons were the victims of a double standard. Their case was also noted on Dec. 19 at President Clinton's Oval Office meeting on race. (Page 2 of 2) Speaking to the President at that meeting, Thaddeus Garrett Jr., former board chairman at Howard University here, said of the Thompsons: ''Never got mentioned anywhere. Didn't get a dime from any corporation, diapers or anything. Then this woman out in Iowa has seven, and she's in more magazines than you are. And it wasn't until some of us ministers kicked up a fuss that now some of the corporations are starting.'' Whether it was the ministers or the radio show, many of those who had ignored the Thompsons rushed to their side in the newly warm glow of the spotlight. The Procter & Gamble Company offered diapers. The General Motors Corporation provided a van. Howard promised scholarships for all five children. Toys, clothes and swings piled up. Gerber Products gave coupons for food. The Washington law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding is providing free legal advice. The Freddie Mac Foundation, established by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, said it would give the family a house and is on the verge of announcing that it has found a big one with a yard.

   
   

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   Univ. Gives Sextuplets Scholarships AP , Associated Press AP News Archive  Dec. 22, 1997 5:16 PM ET WASHINGTON (AP) _ Add a paid college education to the list of gifts for the five surviving sextuplets in Washington. Howard University offered four-year scholarships Monday to each of the seven-month-old Thompson babies: Emily Elizabeth, Richard Linden, Octavia Daniela, Stella Kimberly and AnnMarie Amanda. ``It's our turn now,'' father Linden Thompson told WRC-TV. ``Howard has done the job. It's time for mom and dad to do their job.'' The babies were decked out in blue and white Howard University sweatsuits and bonnets for Monday's announcement. By the time the babies enter college the scholarships will be worth $314,000. Linden and Jacqueline Thompson were the first black parents in the United States to have sextuplets but they and their newborns were virtually ignored until last month's birth of the McCaughey septuplets in Iowa. The Iowa births sparked stories about the lack of attention given to the Thompson family. Since then, the baby shower for the infants has been ongoing. First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, making her annual visit to Children's Hospital, recently posed for photos with the Thompson family. The National Political Congress of Black Women, based in nearby Silver Spring, Md., announced last week it was ``adopting'' the family and helping make some of their wishes come true. The Freddie Mac Foundation has already promised the family a house, and Chevrolet has donated an Astro minivan. Local students and employees have also presented gifts. About 30 students from Moravian Academy in Bethlehem, Pa., even took a four-hour bus ride to present their gifts. ©  The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.