Meet Clarence Thomas' Wife, Virginia

HBO's docudrama Confirmation is putting the sober tale of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' 1991 nomination hearings back into the spotlight with actress Kerry Washington playing law professor Anita Hill. Specifically, Confirmation delves into Hill's testimony at Thomas' confirmation hearings, during which she alleged Thomas had made comments of a sexual nature that, in her opinion, constituted sexual harassment. Thomas vehemently denies these claims. The controversial new series has undoubtedly raised many questions about the personal life of the Supreme Court's most conservative justice, including, is Justice Thomas still married?

In 1987, three years after divorcing his first wife, Thomas married attorney and lobbyist Virginia Lamp Thomas. The couple were married for roughly four years before then-President George H.W. Bush nominated Thomas to the Supreme Court. Throughout Hill's testimony before the Senate, Virginia remained a steadfast supporter of her husband, described by friends in a 1991 Los Angeles Times article as "a strong woman, a resilient woman."

Hill's accusations Thomas had sexually harassed her while she worked for him at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission apparently continued to weigh on Virginia long after her husband was appointed to the Supreme Court in a 52-48 vote. In 2010, close to 20 years after Hill's testimony put Thomas under intense public scrutiny, the New York Times revealed Virginia had reached out to Hill seeking an apology.

"Good morning Anita Hill, it’s Ginni Thomas," Virginia said in a voice mail message left at 7:31 a.m. on Oct. 9, 2010. "I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometime and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband."

When approached by the Times, Virginia confirmed it was her voice in the message and said she'd made the call in an effort of "extending an olive branch."

It hasn't been in Virginia's style to stay out of the public eye while her husband serves as a Supreme Court justice. With political aspirations established prior to her marriage — she was named a young woman of promise in 1986 by Good Housekeeping with dreams to one day run for Congress — she has often faced criticism for her vocal advocacy. In 2009, she founded the conservative group Liberty Central, a group that the Huffington Post says has ties to the Tea Party, and began openly opposing health care reform, two issues that landed before her husband in the Supreme Court. She stepped down a year later in 2010, according to the Washington Post.

Thomas and Virginia remain married today with one son, Thomas' grandnephew Mark, whom the couple adopted in 1997, according to US News. Thomas also has a son from his first marriage.