Confirmed: Stanley Ann Dunham began studies in September 1961, not August

REGISTRAR’S OFFICE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON CONFIRMS START DATE WAS IN SEPTEMBER 1961

by Sharon Rondeau

(Aug. 22, 2010) — The Post & Email can confirm that the alleged mother of Barack Hussein Obama, Stanley Ann Dunham Obama, began her course of study at the University of Washington in September 1961, not August 19, 1961, as has been widely reported.

One source of information whose work is widely disseminated on the internet does not mention her attendance at the University of Washington at all.  A Facebook page created for her the day after the 2008 presidential election also fails to include that detail of her life.

Following up on a tip received recently from a private researcher, The Post & Email obtained confirmation from the registrar’s office at the University of Washington that Dunham’s classes began in September 1961.

There has been much speculation as to how a young woman of 18 could have given birth to a child on August 4, 1961 and begun classes, albeit evening and/or correspondence classes, on August 19 of the same year.

August 19 was a Saturday.  The electronic version of the University of Washington 1961 General Archive shows that with the exception of legal holidays such as New Year’s Day, classes always began on a Monday.

A recent investigation of a researcher who looked into Stanley Ann Dunham’s whereabouts has confirmed that she was listed in the Polk’s Directory of 1961-62 as living in Seattle, WA, but the question of when she actually moved there  or from where is open.

After receiving the tip, The Post & Email sent the following email to the Registrar at the University of Washington:

From:  Sharon Rondeau
Sent: Thu 8/12/10 9:32 PM
To: vedwards@u.washington.edu
Subject: ATTENDANCE DATES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOR STANLEY ANN DUNHAM OBAMA

Hello, Ms. Edwards, I am inquiring about the records of the above deceased person who attended your university in the 1960s.  I have heard that there is some question as to whether or not Ms. Obama began her studies at U of W in August 1961 or September 1961.  Is there any way I can obtain a copy of her record with the correct attendance dates?

Thank you very much.

Sharon Rondeau

The following response was received on August 12, 2010:

From: Virjean Edwards (vedwards@u.washington.edu)
Sent: Thu 8/12/10 9:33 PM
To: Sharon Rondeau

I am away from the office August 13 and 16. I will respond when I return . If you need an immediate response, please send your email to registra@u.washington.edu. Thank you!

Virjean Hanson Edwards
Deputy University Registrar

An email was then sent to the alternate contact address:

From: Sharon Rondeau
Sent: Thu 8/12/10 9:37 PM
To: registra@u.washington.edu

Hello, I had sent an email to Ms. Virjean Edwards, whose automated response indicated that she will be out of the office until Aug. 17.

Would you be able to confirm the start date of Ms. Obama’s attendance at your institution?  Some reports say that she began extension and/or correspondence courses in August 1961; other reports say September 1961.  As Ms. Obama is deceased, could I obtain a copy of her transcript?

Thank you very much.

Sharon Rondeau

and the following response was received:

From: regoff@u.washington.edu
Sent: Fri 8/13/10 1:11 PM
To: Sharon Rondeau

Sharon,

We are unable to confirm that information. Approval to release that information needs to come from Virjean Edwards so you will need to go through her in order to obtain that information.

Sincerely,

Registration & Transcripts
University of Washington
225 Schmitz Hall

To which we responded:

From: Sharon Rondeau
Sent: Fri 8/13/10 4:10 PM
To: regoff@u.washington.edu

OK, thank you very much.  I will touch base with her next week.

Sharon Rondeau

Because of her time away from the office, The Post & Email waited a few days for Ms. Edwards to respond to our original inquiry.  When we didn’t hear, we followed up:

From: Sharon Rondeau
Sent: Fri 8/20/10 12:15 PM
To: vedwards@u.washington.edu
Subject: ATTENDANCE DATES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOR STANLEY ANN DUNHAM OBAMA

Hello, Ms. Edwards, were you able to ascertain whether or not Stanley Ann Dunham began her studies at the University of Washington in August or September 1961?

Thank you.

Sharon Rondeau

to which Ms. Edwards promptly replied:

From: Virjean H. Edwards (vedwards@u.washington.edu)
Sent: Sat 8/21/10 4:19 PM
To: ‘Sharon Rondeau’

Hello Ms. Rondeau

Yes, it was definitely September 1961.    We located the 1961 Time Schedule which shows the date all classes began.
_____________________________________________________

Virjean Hanson Edwards
Interim University Registrar
University of Washington
206-685-2553
Fax # 206-685-3660
210 Schmitz Hall
Box 355850
Seattle, WA 98195

The following email was sent by Ms. Virjean Edwards to the original researcher on July 26, 2010:

This is to confirm that when Ms. Obama’s record was entered into the Student Data Base, an error had been made and the month was entered as August (8) and not September (9).  The staff person made an honest mistake since on the original record the 9 is typed on the line which makes the 9 look like an 8. Our office investigated this, found that the class did not begin until September so corrected the on-line transcript changing the month from August to September.

If you have any other questions about this please contact me.

_____________________________________________________
Virjean Hanson Edwards
Interim University Registrar
University of Washington
206-543-3290
Fax # 206-221-4423
Schmitz Hall
Box 355850
Seattle, WA 98195

The University of Hawaii has reported that Stanley Ann attended its Manoa campus in the fall of 1960 and did not return until spring 1963:

Mr. Christopher Strunk and Mr. Kenneth Allen had sent in Freedom of Information Act requests in November 2008 and February 2009, respectively, regarding passport and other records from 1960 and later for Stanley Ann Dunham Obama, who became Stanley Ann Dunham Soetoro.  In both cases, the State Department refused to release the requested information until after the requesters filed lawsuits.  When information was finally released to both plaintiffs on July 29, 2010, no documents from the period 1960-64 were included.

In the case of Mr. Strunk, some documents were released which were responsive to his request, but the cover letter from the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Services stated that “We did not locate a 1965 passport application referenced in an application for amendment of passport that is included in the released documents.  Many passport applications and other non-vital records from that period were destroyed during the 1980s in accordance with guidance from the General Services Administration.”

A previous letter to Mr. Strunk dated Februrary 3, 2009 incorrectly stated that “There are no entry/exit records available prior to 1982, either in electronic or paper format” (page 17 of exhibit).

Information requested on Obama’s travel records, birth registration documents, and possible adoption papers was denied by invoking the Privacy Act of 1974 (page 26).

If there is no record of Stanley Ann Dunham being in Hawaii during 1961, where was she?  Why are various government departments stonewalling citizens’ requests for documentation from that period? Is it possible she traveled to Kenya or Indonesia and gave birth there?  Many Africans seem to think so, as reported here, here, here, and here.

Earlier today this writer heard Fr. Jonathan Morris, Religion Contributor at Fox News Channel, state on “Fox & Friends” to anchor Alisyn Camerota while discussing Obama’s lack of public expression of his alleged Christian faith, that Obama “was born in a Muslim country,” to which Camerota replied, with the camera focused squarely on her, “No, he was born here” without further explanation or questioning of how Morris arrived at his statement.  Camerota did not offer any evidence to support her own statement and the conversation about Obama’s questionable Christianity continued.

An editorial from last summer at Fox News online raises the possibility that Obama was born in a foreign country and explains how Obama could put an end to the questions regarding his birthplace and other details of his life.

While the final letter to Strunk does not explicitly say that Dunham’s passport applications were destroyed, it implies such, referencing “guidance” from the General Services Administration.  However, does any evidence exist which would support that statement?  The Post & Email is investigating.

A video of the exchange between Fr. Morris and Camerota is here.

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